Points In the Right Direction
by E.C. Spence
Summary: James is still trying to win Lily's heart after seven years and is making no progress until a late night trip turns things around. Lily and James must discard the skewed images they've had of each other and come to realization that war changes everything. NOW COMPLETE!
1. The Old Black Magic

A/N: Hello dearest readers, we're back! First things first. We are STILL trucking on the story. It's just hard when we live in separate states most of the time. Second, after much examination we discovered that the writing style in the first half of the story didn't really match that of the second, so we are revising the chapters steadily, as well as working on new ones for your reading pleasure. Here is the first revised chapter of PRD. Third, we'd like to thank Bethany for jumping back on the bandwagon and becoming our beta editor after starting the story so long ago with us that night in the basement. Finally, thank you all so much for sticking with us. The road to completion will be slow, but totally worth it.

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_**Points in the Right Direction**_

**Chapter One:  
**_**The Old Black Magic**_

"I _hate_ you, Potter, you arrogant, conceited, _mongrel_ of a man!" Lily Evans screeched as she strode angrily away from the lake, brandishing her wand. A flustered James Potter jogged after her. He was careful to sidestep the puddles of water Lily's dripping robes were leaving in her wake.

Several heads turned in the direction of the commotion, as James' friends scurried up the manicured lawn behind the pair, already trying to placate the other irate Gryffindor girls.

"I said I was sorry," James bravely tried to defend himself. "I tried to stop you! Do you really think that I'd try to get you dunked in the lake?" He blinked pleadingly at Lily, trying to hide a very unhelpful smile. He couldn't help it if he thought she was adorable attempting to look dignified when her shoes were making such a ridiculous squelching sound.

And while ticking Lily Evans off _again_ had not been the desired outcome of their botched plan, the sight of her soaking blouse clinging to her like that was almost worth her ire.

~PRD~

_The four devious seventeen-year-olds self-named the Marauders were, to all prying eyes, strolling aimlessly along the shore of the lake. However, the reality was that they were deep in conversation about their next, soon to be infamous, prank. _

"_Padfoot, are you sure this is a good idea?" the tall, thin, raven-haired, bespectacled Marauder adjusted his glasses uncomfortably. This was James Potter. He was known to the male population of the school as its most talented Quidditch player, while the female population preferred to term him the Second Most Eligible Bachelor. _

_James fixed his roguish friend with a dubious gaze. A perfect example of the 'tall, dark, and handsome' stereotype, it was no surprise that Sirius Black filled the top spot on the Eligible Bachelors list above James, in addition to being regarded Hogwart's supreme bad boy. _

_"Prongs, you worry far too much," Sirius scoffed, waving a hand dismissively. "My brilliance will pay off once again and there will be uproarious laughter, dancing in the Great Hall, and all the pretty ladies will fawn upon us excessively." A disbelieving snort followed this pronouncement. _

_Sirius whirled to face the source of the sound, a pale sandy-haired boy clutching a large tome. The manner he held it in seemed to indicate that he felt it could ward off his friends' most recent bout of idiocy. _

_"You two are going to be the death of me," Remus Lupin muttered matter-of-factly. "I refuse to be a part of this." He abruptly threw himself down next to an ancient beech tree, and began to peruse the volume, pointedly ignoring his friends. _

_"Moony, show a little faith, will you?" Sirius chided as he flopped down beside his seemingly bored companion. "Wormtail believes in me, see?" He clapped their silent, pudgy companion on the back. The boy, named Peter Pettigrew, eagerly nodded his agreement to Sirius' statement._

_"Oh, I hold great faith in you Padfoot. I hold great faith in your stupidity when it comes to women. I also hold great faith that your half-baked ideas always end in utter chaos," Remus said scathingly. He punctuated his remark by closing his book with a resounding thud._

_"Remus, you honestly think this is not going to go well, then?" James inquired, settling in beside his beleaguered-looking friend. _

_"James, I think that this is going to end up on par with the Charms fiasco of third year, _if_ all goes well. If not, it may even reach the stupendous heights of the catastrophic Snivellus incident of fifth year," said Remus sourly. Peter, winced at the memory of the aforementioned incident, causing James' scowl to deepen._

_"So, not well. . ." James deadpanned, staring stonily at his friend._

_"No, not well at all," Remus reiterated._

_"But Moony, Prongs, I tell you this is utter _genius_!" Sirius lobbed a ball of grass confetti at his friends in protestation. "Only complete _morons_ wouldn't realize that the lake has never had a dock in our seven years of being at school here. And _what_ are all Slytherins?" Sirius raised his eyebrows expectantly waiting for an answer he didn't receive._

"_They are all complete and utter morons," he barreled on magisterially. "Ergo, my dear friends, the Slytherins will walk out onto the dock we conjured made of vanishing boards and fall into the waiting arms of the giant squid. I bet it's been rather lonely lately—"_

_"Sirius, what part of 'There are so many things that could go wrong!' aren't you understanding?" James interrupted, firing off his own grass projectile._

"_Obviously, it's the wrong part." Sirius got up with the air of someone greatly put upon and began pacing the few feet of shore in front of his friends. "Honestly, you two, where has your sense of adventure gone? Wormtail here—" he gestured to the silent Marauder who was merely pulling apart grass strands next to Remus— "is the only one acting like a true Marauder." _

_Sirius brandished his finger accusatorially at his friends. "Are you both so whipped already that you cannot see the prestige this act will gain with our fellow wizards and witches in training?"_

_"Moony," James said, rolling his eyes at his best friend's antics. "We should never have gotten him that word-a-day toilet paper."_

_"And who exactly is supposed to be whipping us?" Remus asked dryly, raising an eyebrow. _

_"Oh, please," Sirius said, smirking, "I know what you two do all alone in the Prefect's Bathroom at night." _

_"And speaking of being whipped. . .there goes Electra!" James said, pointing toward the school entrance where a laughing group of girls had just emerged. They ran playfully toward the edge of the lake, teasing each other happily while tossing off their robes and loosening their ties. _

_"And they're taking off their robes. . ." James pointed out, grinning as his friend's head snapped around eagerly, his eyes frantically searching for the source of distraction._

_"Where? I don't see her!" he cried, distressed when he could not immediately locate the object of his hormonal affections. _

"_Over there," said Remus__,__ in an exasperated tone, opening up his book again but doing an unconvincing job of reading as his eyes kept straying to the other side of the lake. "She's in between Lily and Spencer."_

"_Ahhhh," said Sirius__,__ observing James' already large smile widen in response to his longtime crushes' name. "Aren't the objects of nature fascinating to behold?" he began, imitating the affected accent of their Care of Magical Creatures professor. "Observe the graceful witchus maximi entering into the peak of mating season, preening themselves, no doubt, to attract the attention of the pack of alpha wizardi maximi behind the bushes to their left who they are pretending to ignore in order to entice their counterparts." _

"_Did we learn about them in class?" Wormtail said, finally having _something_ to say, his eyes wide and confused as he searched for the mysterious creatures._

_This statement was met by a resounding groan from the other three Marauders. _

"_Honestly, I don't know when to take him seriously anymore," Sirius sighed. _

_Wormtail opened his mouth to speak but Sirius cut him off with a growl. "_Not_ another Sirius-serious joke, _please_."_

_James was staring dreamily at Lily's legs, even though they were pretty far away. He thanked heaven profusely for the warm September weather. He had only spoken to Lily a few times this year and each time it had been strictly prefect business. He wished she would talk to him about other things, like Quidditch, classes, maybe going to Hogsmeade together, snogging…_

"_Prongs," Remus said, guessing where his friend's mind had disappeared to. "Prongs? Pron-gs!" James snapped out of it as Remus shoved him over. "Why don't you go talk to her? She's always nice to _me. _And she was fairly civil to you during our last Prefect meeting._

_"Oh God," James groaned. "Padfoot! I need moral support." Sirius was already on his feet, nudging his friend ahead of him and closer toward the girls._

_"Right behind you, mate," Sirius grinned. "Do you need me to hold your hand, too?"_

_"No, I should be good," said James distractedly. _

_Sirius shrugged. "Alright maybe later. Can we skip too?"_

_James glared at him. "Stop it, Sirius." _

_"That's not what you said last night." Sirius smirked. "Okay, okay," he said hastily, holding his hands up and backing away slightly as James' hand went toward his pocket. "But you know you can't resist me."_

_He ducked when James chucked the Snitch he always carried forcefully at him. "Damn, mate, you don't want to lose that." He deftly caught the flitting winged toy and returned it to James. "It's the only ball you've got."_

_"At least I've got one," James retorted sarcastically. _

_"Electra!" Sirius yelled, waving his hand genially. "Getting ready for me already? But taking your robe off was my favorite part!" _

_"Ah, well, I knew you can't keep it up very long, so I thought I'd get things moving for you," the girl named Electra said calmly, turning to face the newcomers. Her dark eyes were flashing with amusement or irritation, James couldn't tell which. _

_Yards away, Remus, who had been observing the encounter over the cover of his book, suddenly sat bolt upright beneath the tree. His amber eyes were riveted on a lone figure in the distance. "Wormtail," he said in a hushed voice. "At the end of that stupid dock of Sirius'. That's not. . ." The two boys were on their feet instantly, tearing off toward their friends._

_"James!," Wormtail yelled frantically, flailing his arms to attract his friend's attention. "Lily's gone out onto our pier!"_

_"What!" James roared, abruptly turning his attention away from Electra's latest jab at Sirius' manhood. He had been so distracted by Sirius' own girl troubles that he had neglected to look after the source of his own romantic angst, who was currently walking amazedly down the prank dock. Her sweet, brunette friend Spencer was following closely behind. _

_"LILY!" James bellowed, bounding down to the shoreline. She whirled around at the sound of her name, her eyes narrowing as she located the source. "LILY, GET—"_

_The words died in James' throat as the planks gave way beneath her and she tumbled, shrieking, into the water. _

_"Oh FU—"_

_"POTTER!"_

~PRD~

James _had_ tried to stop her. He really had. He had already stammered numerous times that it hadn't been his idea. Or, he really hadn't agreed to it, anyway.

So he couldn't truly see why she insisted on flicking her soaking wet hair at him as she stormed away. James noted that she was blasting off a rather impressive string of obscenities as he hovered by her side, trying to be a gentleman and offering the towel he'd just conjured to her.

"Lily, please listen to me!" James shamelessly begged as she marched across the grounds towards the castle. "Lily, I tried to stop you. It was not meant for you! Lily, please—" She had broken into a fast walk and even though she was a good eight inches shorter than James, he had to break into a gallop in order to keep up with her.

"Lily, it was Sirius' idea! It was supposed to be for some stupid Slytherin's who weren't paying attention. I tried to stop him, but you know how Sirius gets—" he continued as they entered the Entrance Hall. To his great surprise, Lily rounded on him and the color of her face made her dark auburn hair look pale.

"OH! THAT'S RIGHT, BLAME SIRIUS!" Lily jabbed her wand into his chest, her emerald eyes blazing with fury. She was _breathtaking_.

"IF SIRIUS FLEW HIS BROOM OFF THE TOPMOST TOWER, WOULD YOU DO IT? IF SIRIUS ATE TWELVE POUNDS OF SPOTTED DICK—"

A group of third years stopped abruptly on the staircase. One boy exclaimed loudly, "Did someone just say dick? Oh, it's just Potter and Evans. Never mind." Upon realizing they had walked into one of the pairs' reoccurring arguments, the third years sat down off to the side of the staircase, primed for their afternoon's entertainment.

"JAMES, YOU ARE SEVENTEEN YEARS OLD! YOU ARE _HEAD BOY _FOR MERLIN'S SAKE! GROW UP! STOP BLAMING YOUR FRIENDS JUST BECAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE THE BALLS TO STAND UP TO THEM!"

"OK, WAIT A MINUTE—WHY IS EVERYBODY QUESTIONING WHETHER OR NOT I HAVE BALLS TODAY?" James hollered back. The Hall went silent as everyone milling around stopped dead in their tracks and stared. The group of third years was now gawking with rapt attention. A few feet away, a group of fifth years had emerged from the lower levels. The group seemed to keep a close watch on the Lily-James row front, as they had pulled out a notebook devoted entirely to the subject. One girl made a tsk-ing noise, marked something with her quill, and quietly remarked, "Point Evans."

"Is she in the lead now? I've forgotten," asked the boy to her left, leaning over her shoulder to study the paper.

"Yes, actually, she has a solid seven point lead," she responded.

James and Lily, not noticing any of this, seethed at each other. Then, without any warning, Lily turned on her heel and in a half-walk, half-jog made her way back to Gryffindor Tower. James just stood there dumbfounded. After what felt like hours of people staring at him, he felt a hand clap him genially on the shoulder.

"Ah mate, you can't win every one," came Sirius' deep growl.

"Apparently he can lose them all though. He hasn't beaten her since the eighth of December last year," the boy by the stairs noted. James glared at the impertinent offender, who shrank back slightly, before he stomped after Lily, plowing his way through the milling crowds.

Electra came out of the mob to stand next to Sirius. They glanced at each other, grins breaking out on their faces as they turned to address the assembled students. "Alright," they cried in unison, "who lost money today?"

Slowly students throughout the Hall came forward, grudgingly passing over galleons. Sirius and Electra had co-founded the Potter/Evans betting pool in their fourth year and had profited tidily ever since. It seemed that the predicted winner of the next row was the only thing the pair could agree on.

"Thank you, thank you, better luck next time, eh?" Sirius said to a particularly sour-looking fourth year.

"Hey, you. Yes, you," hollered Electra to a stocky boy hiding himself in the crowd, "I believe you bet they would be together by now, looks like you owe me eight galleons." Her dark eyes flashed as they boy took off up the marble staircase. "Oh don't you _dare_ run away from me!" she shouted, hot in pursuit.

As the last of the students paid up on misplaced bets throughout the hall, Remus stared at the pile of gold jingling happily in his friend's school bag.

"Sirius, you're really betting against your best friend?" Remus asked incredulously.

"I love Prongs, but I'm not stupid. You," he said beckoning to the girl by the stairs, "come here. Please present the facts to my dear friend, Mr. Lupin, here."

"Statistically speaking," the girl started, "Miss Evans has a distinct advantage over Mr. Potter for several reasons."

"There you have it, Moony," Sirius smirked as Remus' eyes began to glaze over as the girl prattled on. "That will be all! Thank you Katie," Sirius said, giving an abrupt clap to the girl with the ledger. She gave a short bow and retreated.

"Come on, Moony, let's make sure Prongs hasn't killed himself yet," Sirius said cheerfully as he guided his friend toward the stairs. "It would definitely put a damper on dinner, and you need to eat, you're looking peckish."

~PRD~

Dinner that night was a rather subdued affair. James gazed morosely at his golden plate while pushing his food around. He kept glancing down the table at Lily, who appeared to be in a deep and engaging conversation with her three best friends, Spencer, Constantina, and Electra.

"That looks intense," Sirius observed. "What do you think they're talking about? Whatever it is, it doesn't look good."

"Isn't it obvious?" Remus remarked, spearing a runaway pea. "They're rather pissed about earlier, aren't they?"

"How do you know?" Sirius snapped. "Did your _girlfriend_ tell you that?" He took a swig of pumpkin juice and stared at Remus expectantly.

Remus sighed patiently. "Constantina didn't tell me anything. I used common sense," Remus explained, rather like an adult explaining to a small child that one plus one equals two. "Honestly, Sirius, you have _no_ skill with women unless it involves seducing them into a broom closet."

"Bite me," Sirius spat.

Remus gave him a pointed look.

"Sorry," Sirius mumbled quickly.

"Anyway," Sirius said, quickly changing the subject from his werewolf friend's sensitivities, "they still look a wee bit miffed. This calls for a touch of the 'Old Black magic'."

James' head jerked up and he stared at Sirius in trepidation. "No, Sirius. Just don't."

"Hey, when things have gotten this bad, they can only get better!" Sirius said brightly as he got up, dodging James' attempt to wrestle him back into his seat.

"Or they could get worse," Remus murmured as he watched Sirius strut down the Gryffindor table like a hippogriff in heat. "Definitely worse."

"He's dead set on ruining any chance I ever had, isn't he?" James said mournfully as he surveyed the beautiful redhead down the table.

"Ladies," Sirius said gallantly as he attempted to shove between Electra and Spencer with his knee.

"Black," Electra said calmly, raising her steak knife without even glancing at him. Sirius realized in shock that the knife was aimed at a very sensitive area. "Move seven more inches to the right and I will be delighted to serve everyone spotted_ dick _for dessert."

"Well then," Sirius said hastily, backing away towards the safety of his previous dinner seat. "It's been corking to chat with you. I'm glad we could have this little heart to heart. So, if we've cleared this all up, I'm out."

" I think that went rather well," Sirius told the Marauders a moment later as he slid back onto the bench beside James.

"She threatened to castrate you again, didn't she?" Remus said, trying unsuccessfully to hide his smirk behind a forkful of mashed potatoes.

"In a word? Yes."

Wormtail snorted into his plate of shepherd's pie, earning a whap from the somewhat annoyed Sirius.

The quartet fell into silence as dessert came and each brooded over their own thoughts. Towards the end of the meal, Sirius couldn't help but notice Electra eyeing a tall, buff, Quidditch player from Ravenclaw with blond hair and an easy smile. When the boy got up and exited the hall, Electra gave a quick goodbye to her friends, and followed him.

"Don't," Remus said from behind the book he had propped open against the dessert tier as Sirius shifted to get up again.

"You don't even know what I'm doing!" Sirius protested.

"I don't care." Remus waved his hands exhaustedly. "Just don't."

"But she just—"

"Even more reason if it has to do with Electra. Don't." Remus brandished a bit of turnover at Sirius threateningly.

"I have to know what she's doing with that bloke from Ravenclaw!" Sirius glanced at James for support, but James seemed determined to stay out of anything dealing with Lily or the other girls tonight.

"Seriously, Sirius. Don't do it." Remus repeated.

"Did you just make a Sirius-serious joke?" Sirius said menacingly.

"You said 'bite me,'" Remus murmured.

Sirius thought about this for a moment. "Well, fine, then. We're even. But I'm still going after Electra. See you later."

~PRD~

Sirius exited through the vast doors of the Hall, his eyes scanning the surrounding passages for his quarry. He found her halfway up the marble staircase, deep in conversation with the Ravenclaw.

Putting his hands in his pockets and doing his best to look nonchalant while eavesdropping, Sirius strolled up the staircase.

"How 'bout next week, luv?" said the Ravenclaw in a thick Cockney accent. He beamed at Electra in a winning way.

"I don't think so," said Electra somewhat distrustfully.

"Aw, come on, luv! Do me a favor!"

Sirius couldn't contain himself. Obviously, this man was trying to coerce Electra into giving him something she didn't want to give, which was clearly unacceptable as that was Sirius' job.

Sirius strode up to the girl of his dreams and slid a protective arm around her waist. "Is there a problem here?" he demanded darkly.

"Who's this bloke?" asked the Ravenclaw with an expression of genuine confusion on his face.

"I'm the bloke who's dating her, that's who," Sirius said hotly, sincerely hoping that Electra wouldn't completely ruin his bluff. "Isn't that right, Electra, darling?"

"Black," Electra gritted out as Sirius tugged her even more tightly against him. "What do you think you're doing?"

"Oh, well, I see you two are busy right now," the Ravenclaw said, smirking. "So I'll just be going." The boy turned and jogged up the staircase in the direction of the Ravenclaw dormitory.

"Jones!" Electra called after him, attempting to wriggle her way out of Sirius' iron grip. "Don't think you can get away from me! I'll pop up one day and shock you! Electra isn't my name for nothing!"

"Technically, your name is Stephen," Sirius pointed out without thinking. He cringed when her shoulders went rigid, the muscles suddenly tense under his arm. He was definitely in for it, mentioning her forbidden and secret real name, but…

_Damn_, she was sexy when she was angry. Her olive skin shone with her fury and her glorious long dark hair swirled as she turned to face him.

"It is _not_ my fault that my parents thought I was going to be a boy and were too lazy to change my name!" she shouted. "Why the hell are you still touching me?"

Sirius hurriedly dropped his arm as she landed a well placed jab to his bicep. "And more importantly," Electra continued, holding up a small velvet bag rattling with coins. "Why the _hell_ did you try to interfere with my collecting? That numbskull owes me thirty galleons!"

"B-but," Sirius stuttered, clearly taken aback. "That bloke was-"

"'That bloke is my good-for-nothing _cousin_!"

"I was just trying to protect you from the shallow pricks of the world!" Sirius flared.

"Then protect me from yourself," Electra huffed.

"That was a low blow, _Stephen_," Sirius growled. The words fell into the shocked silence of the students that had just left the Great Hall. A few giggles and surprised whispers were heard as one of the most feared and sought-after girls in the school deepest secrets—she had kept it relatively quite for nearly _seven_ years—was declared for all to be heard.

"Oh, you've done it now, Black," she hissed. "This," she jabbed a finger in his face. "This is war!"

Seeing her three friends at the bottom of the staircase, she gestured to them to follow her as she flounced off towards the Gryffindor common room, leaving a confused Sirius to appreciate the aesthetic beauty of her exit from behind.

Constantina stopped to say goodnight to an utterly exasperated Remus. Their hands clasped as they watched James move to guide a stunned Sirius away.

"I suppose this means that we aren't supposed to speak with one another for the next two weeks or so," Remus told her calmly.

"I suppose so," Constantina sighed, squeezing his hand gently.

"So I'll see you in Transfiguration tomorrow?" Remus murmured, leaning in to give her a peck on the cheek. "I'll save you a seat."

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A/N: Please review and let us know what you think of the changes. Motivate us to finish the new chapters. :)


	2. Having Her Cake

**A/N: Helloooo dear readers! We are back after our long hiatus once again. There is a brand new chapter almost finished in the editing phase. So, please reaquaint yourself with the story and give us feedback on this newly revised Chapter 2!**

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**Points in the Right Direction**

**Chapter Two: Having Cake (and Almost Eating it Too)**

"I. Need. Cake. _Now_." The shrill cry echoed down the dormitory stairs. The odd phrase and the late hour caused the few remaining students in the Gryffindor Common Room to glance around curiously for the source of the outburst.

Meanwhile, in the room from which the sound had originated, Lily Evans was sighing in exasperation. She threw her quill onto her bed and threw a dirty look to the girl sitting across from her. "Spencer Audrey Bensur! You can't have cake because we don't have any. It's late and I'm tired. So, please, please, please, leave us to study in peace!"

"But I want chocolate cake," her friend whined pathetically. She met Lily's gaze, her own wide blue eyes pleading with Lily to understand. Spencer's hands were practically strangling her plush badger, a memento from her childhood. Spencer was the first Gryffindor in her family's long and proud history of being Hufflepuffs.

The brunette moaned softly in distress and began rocking back and forth in a distinctly house-elfish way. Constantina tutted reproachfully at this disturbance from where she sat, her purple-rimmed glasses glued on an ancient volume in front of her.

Lily slammed her book down next to her quill and strode over to her friend's nightstand. She flung open the drawer she knew housed Spencer's candy stash without really looking at it. "What's all this for then?" she exclaimed. "Eat some Bertie Bott's and leave us alone to study!"

Spencer lunged forward fanatically, fisting her hand in Lily's shirt and shaking the petite redhead. "There is no stash anymore! I ate it all!" Lily followed Spencer's erratic pointing at the drawer and found this statement to be true. "I _need_ chocolate cake! I have a major Arithmancy test tomorrow, I haven't studied at all, _and_ I sit behind the two class gossips, so I don't pay attention!"

Lily opened her mouth to retort but Spencer cut her off. There was no reasoning with Spencer whenever she was in the middle of one of her frequent and slightly comical anxiety attacks.

"Whatever Enid Harper and Maxine Mead have to say is _much_ more interesting than the stuff Professor Vector attempts to teach us about squiggles!" Her tone neared hysterical. "I am not going to be able to learn anything about the stupid damn _squiggles_ on the blasted parchment until I have some chocolate cake **NOW**." Lily blinked. Spencer had tugged their faces so close during her tirade that Lily was going crossed-eyed trying to continue looking at her.

"Please, don't make me break out the straight jacket," Electra said calmly, turning a page in her own Arithmancy notes. She hadn't bothered to look up as these proceedings were rather common.

Lily snorted ungracefully at Electra's comment which had earned a curious glance from Constantina. Gingerly disentangling herself from her friends grip, Lily returned to her bed and retrieved her book. "Electra, go get Spencer some cake."

"Can't," Electra grinned unapologetically. She tugged her hair into a loose pony tail and slid off her bed. "I have detention with dear Sluggy for chucking a dung bomb at Sirius 'The Bastard' Black."

"Oh _come on_, Electra," Constantina snapped, apparently having reached her limit. "You know that you like him just as much as he likes you."

"Which is not at all," Electra returned airily. A twitch of her lips betrayed the untruth of the statement.

"If I let Potter get to me as much as you let Black get to you, I'd have been expelled more times than Nearly-Headless Nick was hit with that blunt axe." Lily rolled her eyes, fully aware of the real reason that Sirius always got a rise out of Electra, but content to play along with her friend.

_"If?"_ Electra snorted, rooting around her bed looking for her wand. "Girl, _puh-lease_. The sexual tension between the two of you is so thick I doubt that I could cut it with a chainsaw."

"What's a chainsaw?" Constantina asked with a confused expression on her face as Spencer let out another piteous moan. A member of an all-wizarding family, Constantina was often baffled and interested by her friends' references to 'muggle artifacts.'

"I'm leaving," Electra declared, rolling her eyes in an expression so similar to Lily's it betrayed how much time they had spent together over the last years.

Lily shot a glare after her friend and then turned to Constantina. "It's a muggle thing. It's like a very large knife but it's used for cutting down trees." Lily brushed a strand of dark red hair behind her ear as she regarded her friend. "Connie, _you_ don't have Arithmancy. Go get Spencer cake."

"_Need. Chocolate_," Spencer whimpered.

"I'm not going out." Constantina sniffed primly. "It's after hours. Besides, I don't know where the kitchens are!" With a huff that indicated she believed the matter settled, Constantina reburied her nose in the pages of the tome she was now copying quotes out of.

"_Lily, please_," Spencer pleaded, tripping as she crossed the room to throw herself into Lily's lap. "_Please_, go get me cake!"

"You're not going to shut up about it, are you?" Lily asked in annoyance, closing her book again over Spencer's head.

"Nooooooo!" Spencer wailed, shaking her long brown tresses all over Lily. "You just don't understand Lily! It's always been like this. I don't know what's wrong with me. I've been prone to anxiety attacks since I was little and the only thing that seems to calm me down is whatever sweet I have a craving for at the time." Lily resisted the urge to be insensitive and inform her friend that she had known this information forever. "If you don't get me chocolate cake soon, it'll be less than an hour before I'm chucked into the Hospital Wing bawling my eyes out and ripping out huge hunks of my hair!" Lily found this last threat completely unnecessary as _she_ had been the one to take Spencer to see Madam Pomfrey on one memorable occasion.

As if to emphasize her point, the wide-eyed girl sat up and seized handfuls of her chestnut hair, dislodging them from her already much disheveled braid.

Lily resisted the urge to laugh at the ridiculousness of her Spencer's predicament. However, after having witnessed the aforementioned catastrophic panic attack during her first year at Hogwarts, she was highly unwilling to propagate any circumstance in which such an incident might occur again.

Lily looked at Constantina, still hoping she might salvage the night of studying.

Constantina shook her head into her homework, her nose spotted with ink flecks. "I've already told you, I'm not doing it."

"But, Connie," Lily protested, rolling Spencer off of her lap and moving to stand in front of her friend. Lily quickly replaced the cork in the Constantina's tipping ink bottle. "You're Remus' _girlfriend_. I'm sure he'd be more than willing to take you to the kitchens."

Constantina shot the red-head a withering glare from over the top of her purple, cat-eyed reading glasses. "Despite the fact that I would much rather be spending my evening on a romantic jaunt down to the kitchens with Remus," the blonde said with a tone that implied she would rather do anything _but_ go on a romantic walk at the moment, "I have a difficult Transfiguration essay to finish. Out of the four of us, _you_ are the only one close to finishing your homework."

"But I have to study!" Lily protested. "We have a Charms test tomorrow afternoon."

"As if you need to study for Charms," Constantina scoffed, waving her hand in dismissal. "What did you get on the last exam? I seem to recall it was somewhere in the vicinity of one hundred and twenty percent."

Lily blushed at this, confirming her friend's statement.

"Now will you please go? Before she rips the head off of that plushy and completely breaks down over it."

Spencer had somehow stumbled back to her bed and was furiously wiping tears of frustration off her cheeks while staring determinedly at the Arithmancy book which lay open in front of her.

_The poor badger does look a little worse for the wear,_ thought Lily sympathetically, watching as Spencer squeezed the stuffed animal so hard its head was bulging.

"Fine," Lily sighed. "I'll go get the damn cake."

She hoped off her bed and grabbed a large sweater from the wardrobe. Though the weather had been unusually warm lately, the castle was still rather drafty at night.

"You hear that Spencer," Lily raised her voice over her friend's loud, hysterical sobs. "I'm going to get you cake. _And_," she turned to face Constantina tugging the sweater over her head, "I'm taking your boyfriend with me."

She felt slightly vindicated when Constantina's mouth opened in shock. "_What?_"

"I am taking Remus Lupin with me down to the kitchens _all alone_," Lily said slowly, sticking her face inches away from her friend's. "I'd be surprised if by the time we got back, he'll still have a spare thought in his head for you."

Lily knew she was being slightly cruel. Constantina was sensitive about her relationship with Remus, merely because he was the first boy to have ever shown any interest in her. Despite the fact that she did have a pretty face, Constantina was on the slightly thicker side of average. Though her love affair with food had resulted in a rather ample chest, it had also left slight curves in other places on her body that most females would rather do without. Her weight was a sensitive issue, one which had seemed only to have heightened since she started dating the quietest of the marauders. Remus, though very handsome with his thick sandy hair and good natured smile, always seemed to appear slightly underfed.

Constantina slid her glasses off her nose and looked down at her lap, heaving a deep breath. Lily immediately felt sorry for her moment of fun.

"Oh, Connie, I'm really sorry," she said quickly, wrapping an arm around her friend's shoulders. "I was just poking fun at you because you managed to weasel out of doing the dirty work, that's all."

"It's alright," Constantina sounded rather strained. There was a silence in which Lily leant her head upon her friend's shoulder apologetically. "Are you really going to take Remus down to the kitchens?"

Lily glanced up at her taller friend's face which was regarding hers carefully. "Well," she said delicately, not wanting to give her friend the wrong impression. "I was going to ask him to take me to the kitchens only because I know he's been down there before with his friends." Constantina arched an eyebrow, now looking mollified.

"_Or_ you were going to ask him because you can't choke back your pride long enough to ask Black or Potter." It was now Lily's turn to scowl.

"Can you blame me though? I mean if I went with Black, he'd spend the entire time apologizing for dumping me in the lake, trying to make it seem as if Potter had nothing to do with it before enumerating on the many reasons that I should date the moron," Lily grimaced at the mental image. "If I did the unthinkable and actually went with Potter, he'd spend all that time apologizing for dumping me in the lake, not taking responsibility for his actions and _then_ enumerating on the number of reasons I should go out with him."

She flopped forward onto her friends lap and groaned. Turning so she was facing Constantina's face, Lily was delighted to see that she was smiling. "Please," Lily sniveled playfully, sticking out her bottom lip. "May I please borrow Remus?"

"Oh, fine," Constantina giggled, replacing her glasses. "But hurry up before Mr. Pufflesnuffs gets strangled to death."

Lily slid her feet into her warm slippers and exited the dormitory amid Spencer's moan of "Hurry, Lily" and a popping which sounded horribly as if Mr. Pufflesnuffs had just lost an eye.

~PRD~

When Lily emerged into the Common Room, she was not surprised to find it mostly devoid of people. It was a quarter after eleven and, as it was a Thursday evening, most students had already turned into their dormitories for the night. She was not the least bit surprised however, to spot Sirius Black and Peter Pettigrew, who were sitting hunched over on the hearth rug. It was not until she moved a bit closer that she realized that they were engaged in what appeared to be a highly competitive game of wizard's chess.

Peter was currently egging on his bishop who was enthusiastically delivering a karate chop to the back of one of Sirius' defenseless pawns.

"Oh, come on that was _weak_," Sirius scolded the pawn that was being dragged off of the board, unmistakably sobbing. Taking a deep breath, Lily walked over to them; Remus was nowhere to be seen.

"Where's Remus?" she demanded, hands on hips.

Peter glanced up at her before his gaze flicked noticeably toward the couch. Lily followed his gaze and saw for the first time the definitively messy black hair of James Potter, who was apparently asleep.

"He's in the dormitory," Peter answered her eventually, his watery eyes trained on the chessboard, as Sirius had just ordered his knight to take out one of his pawns.

Resisting the urge to roll her eyes, Lily asked in what she hoped was a sweet voice, "Could you go get him for me?"

Sirius' head shot up immediately, suspicion flooding his features. "What do you want him for?"

This time, Lily really did roll her eyes. "I need his help with something."

Sirius grinned. "What did I tell you, Pete? I _knew_ she went for the studious types. It's a good thing that James is asleep or else we'd have to see him shatter into a million pieces as Evans here broke his poor besotted heart." He gave a melodramatic sob and Peter sniggered while he pointed a chubby finger at the move he wanted his pieces to complete next.

"Would you just get Remus for me?" she snapped.

"Can't," Peter replied grinning as one of his pieces delivered another blow to Sirius'. "He's working on finishing that nasty Potions essay which is due tomorrow and doesn't want to be disturbed."

"But this is important," Lily stated, thinking of Spencer screaming about squiggles.

"_We_ don't know that," Sirius said, glancing up at her with a smirk. "You haven't told us what you want him for."

Lily closed her eyes and forced herself to count silently to ten. "I need to get to the kitchens."

Interest piqued, Sirius momentarily abandoned his chess game, ignoring the shouts of the waiting chessmen. "What does the Head Girl need from the kitchens at this hour of the night? A midnight rendezvous perhaps?"

Lily's control snapped. "I NEED CAKE!" she bellowed. "Alright? Are you happy now?" she finished, breathing hard. Personally, she was surprised that she had not awoken the sleeping Potter with her outburst, but that was the least of her concerns.

Sirius and Peter burst out laughing. James shifted slightly on the sofa but did not wake. Lily let out a muffled scream of frustration as she ran her hands over her face.

"You…need…_cake_?" Sirius gasped.

"It's not for me!" Lily said heatedly. "It's for Spencer; she's studying for Arithmancy and is on the verge of a nervous breakdown. She needs cake and I have to get it now!"

"_Right_," Sirius drawled, though his brow twitched slightly in what might have been uncharacteristic concern. "Well, as I'm sure you can see, Peter here and I are very busy at the moment. However, I'm sure Jamsie there would absolutely love to walk down to the kitchens with you…all by your lonesome." He sniffled and wiped an imaginary tear from his eye. "A moonlit stroll to get his girlfriend cake, how _romantic_."

"I am not nor will I ever be his girlfriend," Lily hissed. "You are _so_ insufferable…"

"Tell you what," Sirius said, clapping his hands and rubbing them together. "If you get Electra to come down here and play a nice game of late night chess with me, I will personally escort you to the kitchens so you can get your cake."

"It's _not_ my cake," Lily repeated firmly. "And I can't get Electra to come down here; she's in detention with Professor Slughorn for chucking that dungbomb at your overlarge head. Not that I can blame her."

"You wound me, Evans," Sirius replied, his eyes once again focused on the previously abandoned game.

"Are you going to take me or not?" Lily said, forcing her voice to remain even.

"No Electra, no deal," Sirius replied cheekily. "Better ask James…_Nice _uppercut," he praised his bishop.

Lily took a few moments to restrain herself from kicking the smug grin off of Black's face. She knew that violence against another student would not look good on her permanent school record, especially since she was Head Girl. She had half a mind to march back up the stairs and tell Spencer that there was no one downstairs who could have helped her. Then she thought of Mr. Pufflesnuff's bulging eyes and Spencer's furious tears and couldn't bring herself to lie. She had to at least _try_, didn't she?

She walked around the back of the couch towards where James' head was laying propped up against a scarlet pillow. She tapped him on the shoulder.

"Potter," she said, poking him firmly in the chest now. "Potter, _get up_…"

James, who had been thoroughly enjoying his little nap, woke up with a stab of annoyance.

Thinking that it was the annoying fifth year girl with a major crush on him who had kept asking him earlier for help with her Transfiguration homework, James decided to have a little fun. When the small finger poked him yet again, he reached out and grabbed the girl's hand in his own and tugged. A very surprised Lily rocketed over the back of the sofa and land with an ungraceful 'oof' sprawled on top of him.

"Potter! What the bloody hell do you think you're doing?"

_Uh oh, _James thought. _I know that voice and it definitely does not belong to the annoying fifth year who wanted my help with Transfiguration…_

His eyes flew open behind his lopsided glasses.

"Evans!" he yelped, his voice an octave higher than usual. "Lily! Merlin, I am _so_ sorry, I thought you were that fifth year who kept asking me ridiculous questions just so she could talk to me. Are you alright?" he finished breathlessly. His hands, which had come up to grip her sides previously, were gently running up and down her body of their own accord. His large and concerned eyes scanned for any sign of harm.

"Well my stomach felt a lot better before it became intimately acquainted with the back of the sofa!" Lily huffed angrily. Her own eyes, which had been narrowed in anger, opened wide in surprise as his large hand came between them, running up and down her stomach.

"What are you _doing_?" she shrieked, suddenly all too aware of the feel of their bodies so closely aligned. His slightly calloused hand was gripping her side, she could feel the heat of his skin through her sweater. She was even more disturbed by the fact that a previously unacknowledged part of her was enjoying this little predicament immensely.

James' hand froze, his eyes growing even rounder behind his glasses as his face flooded with color. "I was er― making sure you weren't hurt," he said lamely, quickly letting go of her hand which he realized he had grabbed at some point during his examination. Lily pushed off of him roughly, knocking his head back down onto the sofa cushion with some serious force for such a small girl.

He watched apologetically as she rubbed her stomach absentmindedly. "Er…can I ask why you were poking me?" he said awkwardly, scratching his head in confusion while Sirius and Peter, who had been watching the scene in amusement, burst out into laughter once more.

"She needs your help, mate," Sirius said, moving his queen out of danger.

James whipped his head around to face Lily, who was perched on the other side of the sagging sofa, so fast that he cracked his stiff neck.

"Help?" he asked rather stupidly. He couldn't figure out what Lily would need his help with. She was Head Girl after all, and received top marks in all of her classes.

"Yes," Peter supplied eagerly, his eyes scanning the chessboard for his next move. "Lily needs to go down to the kitchens. She claims she needs cake." The pair of them chuckled again while James just blinked in confusion. Lily was gripping her knees tightly in both hands. Whether it was to keep her from losing her temper or out of embarrassment, James couldn't decide.

"_Well_," she demanded after a long pause in which James just gaped at her stupidly. "Will you at least tell me where the kitchens are? That way I can just get the cake and be done with it."

"Oh, he'll do better than that," Sirius cut in smoothly. "_Won't you,_ Jamsie? He'll take you to the kitchens himself. All for the low price of one small visit to Hogsmeade in October. Isn't that right?" Sirius shot James a look which clearly told him to act like this was his idea the whole time.

"Er, yeah." James said clearing his throat and trying to look cool and casual but failing miserably. If she said yes, this would be a dream come true. Lily and him in a darkened corridor, all alone under his invisibility cloak…_Snap out of it,_ said a small annoying voice in his head. _She hates your guts remember? _

"Fine," Lily said, defeated. She rose to her feet expectantly.

"_Really_?" James squeaked. He glanced at Sirius in utter amazement. "Er…I mean, I'm happy to help," James said meekly when Sirius cleared his throat meaningfully. Lily merely glared at him.

"Are we going?" she asked pointedly when he continued to stare at her, hardly daring to believe his luck.

"Oh, yeah. Wait here." Leaving a very confused-looking Lily behind, James raced up the stairs to the boys' dormitory. He came running down the stairs a few moments later, clutching something silvery in his hand. Lily's hand stretched out automatically to caress the material.

"Is that what I think it is?" Lily asked, failing miserably to hide how impressed she was.

"Yep. My Dad gave it to me. It used to be his. We'll use it to get to the kitchens. Come here." James gestured for her to walk towards him. He lifted the cloak over his head and Lily moved forward a few steps before hesitating slightly.

"Come on Evans, I don't bite," James said, noticing her hesitancy at being closer than two feet away from him.

"Well, not hard anyways," came Sirius' bark of laughter from the corner.

"Shut up, Padfoot! Not helping," James said, his eyes not leaving Lily. He smiled at her from underneath the cloak in what he hoped was an encouraging and charming way.

"Oh, fine!" she said, moving nearer "But I want it understood that the only reason I am agreeing to this is for Spencer!" Her eyes challenged him to disagree.

"Of course. Let's go." She finally shuffled close enough for him to drape the Invisibility Cloak around her as well. Lily jumped as he accidentally grazed her shoulder with his arm in the process.

"Sorry," he muttered. Lily turned around and started to walk out the portrait, James barely three inches behind her.

"See you, later," Sirius called, not even looking up from the chess board, "Or not, as the case is."

~PRD~

James and Lily clumsily tumbled out of the portrait hole. Lily was not accustomed to traveling with someone standing practically right on top of her. She found it especially difficult to do so with someone she claimed she could not stand but had been secretly attracted to for quite some time. James being so tall also caused a problem. He had to hunch over her; his head right above hers and his arms hovering right around her ears like a strange guardian angel.

"This is so weird," Lily couldn't help but mutter, after James had told her to take a sharp right into a door that was pretending to be a wall.

"This is nothing. Try doing this with Sirius," James muttered back.

"Ha!" Lily snorted, a little too loudly as the two-some shifted back out into an open corridor three floors below where they started.

"Shh!" James hushed her, and as he did this, he lowered his head a little more, instantly wishing he hadn't. The scent of Lily's hair invaded his nostrils, and he involuntarily shuddered as his eyes simultaneously shut. He couldn't take it. This was intoxicating. Without thinking he lowered his arms onto her shoulders.

Now it was Lily's turn to shudder. She quickly glanced at his upper arms resting on her shoulders but instead of shutting her eyes she opened them even wider.

_When did that happen?_ was her only clear thought for a few short moments. Soon they both came out of their stupor as James realized they had just passed their next turn. Awkward silence fell as the pair backtracked, hooked a left, and found themselves down a brightly lit dungeon corridor. James hurriedly directed them to a painting of a fruit bowl. He tickled the pear, grabbed the handle that appeared, and half shoved, half nudged Lily into the enormous kitchen. He tore the cloak off while slamming the painting closed as a group of Slytherin first years came noisily around the corner, trying to sneak out and doing a miserable job of it.

Stumbling into the cavernous room, Lily was momentarily blinded by the bright light, a stark contrast to the dimness of the corridors.

"Mister Potter, it's you!" squeaked a high voice. Lily glanced around the high ceilinged room, only to find that the noise was coming not from above her, but from around her knees. A thin, oddly dressed elf, with an abnormally large head (even for a House Elf), was flying past her at James' legs. The elf collided into its target with an _"oomph_," wrapping its wiry arms around his knees. James seemed highly amused at this action.

"Hello there, Foozie! How are you?" James laughed as he awkwardly hunched over to hug the elf.

"I is fine Mister James. I is fine. How is yourself?" the little elf named Foozie stared up at James, her round purple eyes filled with admiration. James patted her head affectionately.

Lily blinked, surprised. She didn't know much about House Elves, except that they served their wizard families no matter what kind of wizard treatment they received. She had expected James to be well…a right pretentious bastard with the little creatures. Lily then thought of the first years he secretly tutored in Transfiguration and figured she should have known better.

"I'm great, Foozie. Foozie, I want you to meet someone. This is my fri—er… this is Lily," James said gesturing towards Lily who was standing obscurely to his right.

"Hi Foozie," said Lily brightly, not really sure how to interact with the house elf.

"So _this_ is Mister James' Lily. You is right sir, she is very pretty," said Foozie, blinking curiously in the direction of Lily who was blushing furiously.

"I know, Foozie," James said hastily. "Erm…"

"What can Foozie get for Mister James?" The elf said immediately as if sensing she had said something she shouldn't have.

"Well, actually it's for Lily," James said looking at Lily.

"Oh, what can Foozie get for Mister James' Lily?" Foozie asked politely, her enormous gaze shifting once more to Lily. She adjusted her pristine white tea towel toga with an air of a chef about to prepare a culinary masterpiece.

"Well, I need cake. Could it be chocolate with chocolate frosting? Please," Lily said awkwardly, feeling horrible for ordering the elf around. She glanced helplessly at James who just grinned as the elf cheerfully squeaked, "One moment, Miss," and asked them to sit down while they waited. She then promptly rushed off down one of the four long tables to disappear behind a large row of equipment whose functions Lily did not know. Lily waited for the elf to withdraw before turning to James.

"So when did I become _your_ Lily?" Lily asked, cocking an eyebrow at James as she awkwardly sat down on a stool made for a house elf.

"Ah, _that_. I knew that was going to come up," James said, leaning up against a counter, "You gotta forgive her for that. Whenever the guys and I come down here, we talk. I guess you've come up a lot over the past six years. Foozie's made the connection between us." He ran his and through his hair, ruffling it. "So, like, if Electra came down here, Foozie would call her Mister Sirius' Electra, and Constantina Mister Remus' Constantina. It's the way they make distinctions."

"I know, James. I was just trying to give you a hard time," Lily said, even though she really hadn't known that. She was trying to ease his obvious discomfort at the idea of her getting angry with him _again_, while at the same time she increased her own discomfort. Had she actually just called him _James_?

"Oh, okay, good." He smiled with poorly suppressed elation. She had just called him James. He then got a sudden surge of courage and said without really thinking, "Why can't it be like this more often?"

"What do you mean?" Lily asked, tilting her head up to look at him.

"Okay, let me rephrase that. Why can't we be like this more often?" he said his eyes searching hers for a reaction.

"What do you mean? Actually civil?" Lily said it jokingly, but she actually pondered the answer. Really, he wasn't all bad, but he wasn't all sugar and spice either, she remembered. However, he had seemed different lately, less obnoxious. And standing there, leaning against the counter, his hair ruffled and his shirtsleeves rolled up casually, James Potter was _sexy._ Lily mentally slapped herself for such a heinous thought.

"Even borderline friendly, some would say," James went along with her joke, completely unaware of Lily's traitorous thoughts.

"I don't know. I guess it's just how we are. We fight. A lot. But, I don't know. Maybe," Lily hesitated as she looked up into his hopeful face, "maybe we could start being…_nicer_."

"_Really_?" he couldn't hide his excitement, his elbow slipped off of the counter.

"Yeah, really," Lily said, surprisingly content with this decision. The statement was met by silence. Well, James Potter just didn't _do_ long, meaningful silences.

"_So…_ what does one do when they're friends with Lily Evans? Could we have a slumber party? You know, you could braid my hair, I could braid yours. We could talk about boys. Walk around in our underwear," James said. To his supreme delight, Lily laughed. He could get used to this.

Another slightly strained silence followed, as both strove to think of something to say that wouldn't spark an argument or cause embarrassment. This time it was broken by Lily.

"So James Potter, Master of the Quidditch Pitch, what is so great about you that has all these girls fawning over you?" Lily asked, ready to test the limits of this new found _something_.

" Let's see," he replied easily. "My dashing good looks, my superb intellect, my supreme Quidditch skills, my charming demeanor, and my fine appreciation for the female spirit…"

"The what?" she half yelled, half laughed.

"The female spirit," James reiterated, as he walked over to the stool next to her and plopped himself clumsily onto the piece of furniture made for a creature one third of his size. While Lily looked out of place on the stool, James' height made him look positively stupid, but he didn't seem to care as he elaborated.

"It takes one such as myself to appreciate the effeminate ways of your being. The fact that you just took a stroll in the moonlight through a deserted magical castle, with one incredibly good looking wizard, whom until about five minutes ago you loathed the pants off of, just to get your poor friend some cake, can only be justly appreciated by none other than me."

Lily couldn't help herself. She was laughing too hard. It was physically impossible to stay seated on the stool that was only four inches off the ground, and not end up ass-first on the floor. At this point James could no longer hold back his own laughter, but somehow managed to stay seated on his stool.

"Loathed the pants off of you?" she asked incredulously, through her giggles.

"Isn't it true?" he asked, furrowing his brow.

"Well, _yes_. But, it's not like I didn't have good reason to," she said.

"Of course," James said smilingly down at her, "We can't forget that I'm arrogant, conceited, self-absorbed, stubborn, and your personal favorite, _immature_." He stretched out his legs languidly.

"I haven't called you all those things, have I?" Lily asked with a slight frown, clutching the stool she'd fallen off of to her chest defensively.

"Oh yes you have! And a whole slew of synonyms, acronyms, adverbs, some colorful adjectives," he laughed and leaned forward conspiratorially. "Seriously, do you skim through a thesaurus before we fight?"

Lily mirrored his action, leaning over the stool. "No, but I do take a good look through my dictionary every time I get a feeling you're going to make an ass of yourself," she jested back.

"So… every morning?" James clarified.

"Yeah, pretty much." The smiled at each other for a moment, and Lily wondered why they hadn't managed to have this sort of interaction before.

"This year, things are different," he said slowly, almost hesitantly. He leant back and looked her over .

"Oh, and why's that?" Lily asked playfully, not sensing the change in tension.

His expression darkened and his gaze fell to the floor. "There's a war on. It's time to grow up. It can't always be about joking around anymore. It's time to take responsibility for myself. I can't have my parents out there fighting a war everyday, still worried they're going to get a call because they're son dyed all the Slytherin's underwear red and gold," he said shaking his head and rubbing the back of his neck with his right hand. "But that would be a great idea."

Lily smiled tightly at his attempt at a joke. She hadn't been expecting this outburst of actual emotion. This was James Potter we were talking about here; the boy didn't exactly have a reputation for deep thinking. Needless to say, she was intrigued.

"Sorry," James said suddenly. "I just sort of dropped that on you," he sighed, "I know you weren't exactly expecting that but…" James trailed off, raising his hand to run it through his hair again, a habit he'd formed over the past six years of school. Lily, surprised at her own action, caught it halfway towards its destination and held it in her small palm.

"It's going to be okay, James. Your parents are going to be fine. And they don't have to worry about you, you're growing up just fine," she said sincerely. She cupped his hand firmly, "But I swear to God, if you ruffle your hair one more time, I will take that shiny knife over there and personally shave it all off."

A small smile crept across his face as he looked down at her. His eyes then moved to their still clasped hands. She was _holding his hand_. It was an event he thought would only happen preceded by Death Eaters prancing around in pink tutu's singing _I'm a Little Tea Pot _in high falsetto voices. He made a mental note to allow for a prolonged victory dance later in his dormitory.

At the same moment that James made his mental note, Lily noticed that her hand was still intertwined with his, and couldn't held but notice that James must have also realized this, due to the look of pure glee on his face. She did the only thing that she thought made sense and made to remove her hand from his grasp. James however, did not cooperate, and was pulled off his stool, landing squarely in her lap.

"Why, _hello_ Evans! Didn't know we were progressing this quickly in our relationship tonight, but I'm ready if you are!" he smiled brightly at her.

"You're heavier than you look," Lily stated stupidly. The only thing she was concentrating on was the fact that his hand was on her thigh. The resulting sensation was one that she was completely unused to, and was utterly shocked to discover that she didn't mind it at all.

"_Thanks_, Evans. Calling me fat! A bloke can take that personally you know!" he chided, bouncing slightly to drive his point home.

"Well, I know you've been watching your figure lately," Lily tried to play along, but her body was getting hot, and it bothered her that it didn't bother her.

"You okay? Your face is all flushed. Am I seriously crushing you?" James asked, his eyes and voice radiating serious concern. He moved off her lap, unconsciously moving the hand on her thigh dangerously upward. Too soon for Lily's liking, he removed his hand altogether.

"Oh, no, you were fine. It's just warm in here," she said, shaking her head as she pulled herself to her feet. "Where is that house elf?" she asked a little too loudly.

"I don't know. If you help me up, I'll help you find her. She is taking an extraordinarily large amount of time to get a piece of cake," James said looking up at her, hands outstretched.

Rolling her eyes, Lily took his hands into hers, and with great force pulled him to his feet. But both misjudged how much force the other was putting into the movement and she ended up stumbling forward into him as he came into a standing position. Her hands collided with his chest, knocking the wind out of him. With this new push backward James instinctively threw his arms around Lily's waist to keep himself stable.

James was having a hard time breathing, and he was pretty sure it had nothing to do with the fact he just had the wind knocked out of him. Her scent, for the second time that night was invading his nostrils, and he wasn't complaining. Lily realized quite suddenly how close their bodies were. Somehow, one of her legs had ended up in between his, and their stomachs were touching. Against her better judgment Lily looked up into James' face, his brown eyes imploring her green ones as their faces drifted closer together.

Her breathing was coming in short, fast huffs, and his fanned hot against her face. She could feel his heart pumping quickly through his shirt, mirroring her own.

She didn't understand why this was happening, and honestly, at that moment she didn't care. _Why_ didn't seem as important as _why not_. Their noses were inches apart and her eyes were shutting…

~PRD~

Sirius awoke with a start. He looked around and noticed immediately what had awoken him. James wasn't in his bed. He looked outside the window in between Remus' and Peter's beds and saw the sky was lightening. It must be around four thirty, maybe five o'clock in the morning.

Sirius got out of his bed and thought about waking the other two, but decided against it. Entering the Common Room, the tousle-haired teen found the object of his search immediately. Sprawled across the large crimson couch in front of the fireplace was James Potter. He was staring absentmindedly into the fire, a glazed-over look on his face.

Sirius just shook his head and walked up to his friend's side, sitting down on the floor in front of the couch facing James.

"Where have you been young man?" Sirius asked in a voice very reminiscent of James' mother.

"Ehhh…" James slurred, the glazed-over look becoming, if possible, even glossier.

"Ok, what the hell happened?" Sirius asked, concern crossing his features, "Not even a 'nothing, mum' comment back. She did something to you! What'd she do to you, Prongs? Ignore you the entire time? Yell a lot? I could see that happening personally…"

"Sirius, have you ever wondered why Lily calls me a stupid git all the time?" James asked, not really paying attention to his friend's rants.

"No, not really," Sirius said, looking apprehensively at James. For the first time in hours, James tore his eyes away from the fire and looked Sirius directly in the eye.

"It's because _I am_," James said, "I am the stupidest bloke _ever_." He threw an arm over his eyes piteously, which only succeeded in smashing his glasses into his nose. Sirius' bark of laughter was squashed after James shot him a deadly look out of one eye.

"Oh, don't be too hard on yourself, mate, what'd you do this time?" Sirius said patting him blithely on the shoulder.

"I turned away," James said solemnly. He returned his arm to its previous position, more gently this time.

"What? I don't…" Sirius started, attempting to pry his best friend's arm away from his face enthusiastically.

"I had her right there," James whispered fanatically, sitting up suddenly and throwing Sirius off balance. "She had her hands on my chest. My arm was around her waist. Her hair was tangled in my hand, I'm pretty sure there was a leg entanglement there too." He twisted his arms together, attempting to demonstrate said entanglement.

"That's how I knew it was real!" he explained, nodding at Sirius, as if the gesture would help him understand. "There has never been a leg entanglement in any of the fantasies! No. That's a lie," James amended when Sirius merely quirked a dark eyebrow. "There are definitely leg entanglements. But the hair thing, that was new!"

He drew Sirius closer like he was about to reenact the entire situation with his best friend in the supporting role. "I could even smell the pudding on her breath!" There was a tense pause as Sirius waited on tenterhooks for what happened next.

"AND I TURNED AWAY!" James yelled hysterically into Sirius' face, his hands clutching at Sirius' t-shirt.

"Let me get this straight." Sirius sank back onto his heels. "Lily Evans— the girl you've been in love with since you were eleven years old— was in your arms, about to kiss you, and you turned away?" Sirius said slowly.

"Did I not just say that?" James said, thumping Sirius on the back of the head.

"You really _are_ a stupid git," Sirius gawked at James as he threw himself back into the plush embrace of the sofa cushions, seeking comfort.

"Seriously, Sirius, thanks for the consoling words," James mocked. He turned away, running his hand through his hair moodily. He then glowered at the palm as if it had just personally insulted the girl of his dreams.

"Did you just 'Siriusly Sirius" me?" Sirius asked, frustration mounting towards whoever had started that moronic pun.

"You called me a stupid git," James countered.

"Well, you passed up such a beautiful opportunity," Sirius pointed out. He shifted so that he was slouching on the sofa next to James. "Did you get her cake at least?"

"Yes." James clipped. He ran his hand through hair in frustration again but paused, mid-motion this time, caught in the memory.

"You truly need to thank Spencer when you see her next," Sirius said, stretching his arms over his head while smirking.

"Why?" James asked, momentarily distracted.

"Well, think about it. Without Spencer and her psychotic need for cake, you never would've had that lovely whiff of pudding," Sirius said, trying to cheer him up.

"I'm going to buy her a cake for everyday of the year," James said firmly as Sirius let out a bark of laughter. Allowing his best friend to haul him to his feet, James set off to get a few hours of sleep before the start of what was bound to be a _very_ interesting day.

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**A/N: Reviews make Chapter 21 appear faster...just in case that sways your decision when it comes to clicking that little review button.**


	3. Riding Dirty

A/N: While in the grueling process of planning our Harry Potter themed summer camp, entitled Potterpalooza, Debbie and I (BVB) were incredibly inspired and began typing this in the car, on the way to the meeting. Or Debbie dictated and I typed…this chapter, like the previous one was the work of our creative duo as our third member was off at Speech and Debate camp far away from being able to purchase a seventh book (yes, it's okay to point and laugh). We worked very hard to produce this chapter and we hope you will reward us with **REVIEWS! **Was that subtle or what?

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**Points in the Right Direction  
****Chapter Three: Riding Dirty**

"You two are going to be the death of me."

"Ah, cheer up, Moony; it's all in good fun."

"Padfoot, I think we should lay low after the dock incident for a while," James said, reaching across his friend for the plate of bacon, deciding to combat his lack of sleep with a combination of grease and caffeine.

"Jamsie, just because your lovely Lily flower fell into the water doesn't mean you have be a spoil sport from now on. It was an _accident_. It happened. She seems to have moved on if your story from last night was true."

"Last night? What story?" Perplexed, Remus paused in buttering his toast.

"_Nothing_. Sirius is delusional," James gritted his teeth from across the table.

"Not as delusional as you…_pudding_," Sirius grinned cheekily across his plate of bacon.

"Did you just call him pudding?" Peter asked, looking at Sirius through watery eyes.

"Yes. That I did, Pete. It's a new pet name I've come up with for my dearest best friend," Sirius drawled sarcastically.

"As long as you don't start calling me muffin, I don't want to know what's going on," Remus said over his Charms book which was propped up against the milk jug as usual.

"Alright, Peaches, I won't," Sirius quipped cheerfully.

"_Peaches_? Do I strike you as a Peaches?" Remus asked incredulously.

"Looks more like a Cherry to me," James remarked, glad the subject had switched over.

"Do you want to pop me later, or something?" Remus asked scathingly, taking full advantage of his friends' groggy states of mind. As he said this, a group of fifth year Ravenclaw girls walked by and stared skeptically at the boys before hurrying over to their table.

"REMUS! Don't make jokes like that around the ladies. I have a reputation to protect," Sirius said surprised by his friend's bravado.

"What reputation? Most people think you're probably gay," Peter squeaked.

"WHAT?!"

"Well, it doesn't matter, does it? All the girls either don't care or don't believe it. And the guys either want to be you or want to be with you," Peter stated, now smiling at his friend's scandalized expression.

"Wormtail, _please_ tell me you're messing me," Sirius entreated, now mortified.

"When have I been known fro my wit?" Peter asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Never," said James, his voice full of mirth.

"This IS NOT funny," Sirius yelped.

"Oh it's _quite_ funny now that the entire hall is staring at you," James laughed some more.

"I would shut up if I were you, PUDDING," Sirius' voice rang over the boisterous voices of their fellow Gryffindors.

"You're not helping yourself by calling him that, you do realize this don't you?" Remus pointed out, smirking behind his book.

"That goes for you too, Peaches," Sirius returned darkly, glaring at a group second year girls who were sniggering over their kippers. "_I am not homosexual_!" he shouted at them, much louder than intended.

The chatter in the hall died instantly.

"Merlin's pants!" Sirius bellowed. "Can't a bloke be affectionate with his friends without people thinking he's gay?!"

"Oh, I don't it means you're _gay_, Black," Electra cooed as she walked by with Lily, Spencer and Constantina in tow. "I think it shows you're sensitive." She bent down so her lips were close to his ear and whispered, "Maybe a little bisexual."

Sirius flushed scarlet.

Straightening, Electra ruffled his hair in a casually seductive manner. "_Poor_ Sirius, you're so _seriously_ misunderstood."

"You did not just make a Sirius-serious joke when my sexuality is in question!" he exclaimed. "However," he grinned, slipping easily into his usual flirtatious manner, "if you ever wanted to question my sexuality in private, say in an empty broom closet fifteen minutes from now, you're more than welcome."

"Don't make me throw up my breakfast before it even reaches my stomach, Black," Electra said, feigning disgust but barely managing to hide her smile.

"Let's go girls." She gestured down the table to their usual spot before turning back to Sirius. "That doesn't mean you too, Black."

Electra didn't give him a chance to reply but swept away, resuming her previously abandoned conversation with Spencer. Constantina gave a half-hearted wave to Remus whose brow furrowed at this indifferent treatment. Lily on the other hand, who had been standing at the back of the group and clutching her Transfiguration book tightly, seemed rooted to the spot.

"Morning Lily," James said in a poor attempt at a casual manner. His entire day hinged on the way she responded to his greeting. This single greeting would determine whether she had decided to ignore the progress they made last night or revert back to their normal routine of constant rowing.

Lily's gaze fell quickly to the floor, her face blushing scarlet as she realized her friends had all left. "Good morning, James," she mumbled before darting off to eat.

The Charms book thumped heavily on the table, overturning the milk jug it had been propped on. Remus ignored the liquid which was currently soaking the pancakes, staring thunderstruck at James.

"What-the-HELL-did-I-miss?" Remus breathed, his eyes wide as saucers and mouth hanging open. "She-she-she ca-ca-called you by your first name!" he stuttered in shock.

"Good detective work there, Moony," Sirius laughed as he picked up the empty jug and conjured the milk back into it.

"Shut it, you," Remus huffed, regaining his composure.

"It's nothing," said James, who was failing miserably to hide his blush as he tried to bury his face in his plate of eggs and bacon.

"_Nothing_? NOTHING? She called you by your first name without contempt or sarcasm in her voice," Remus pointed out.

"Yeah, she's been doing a lot of that," Sirius said, waggling his eyebrows, "according to James' account of his midnight wanderings around the castle with the Lily flower."

"Sirius, I swear on Merlin's grave that I will cut your hair off while you sleep tonight," James seethed at his friend.

"OH SWEET MERLIN!" Remus screamed; the Great Hall was once again staring at the four boys.

"SHUT UP BOTH OF YOU!" James roared at his friends.

"Whatever you say, pudding," Sirius said sweetly as he made a great show of sipping his orange juice. James just glared at his friend, "I mean, I'm _sure_ the Lily flower would be more than happy to fill us in on your most _auspicious_ journey to the kitchens."

"Padfoot, if you do not seal that hole in your face you call a mouth, I will throw you into the lake and let the Giant Squid have its way with you," James breathed out heavily as his face turned every shade of the rainbow at this point.

"Shutting it, _Pudding_," Sirius smiled impertinently at him.

"Thank you, _Pumpkin_," James sneered as he swung his leg over the bench and headed out of the Great Hall; every eye from the Gryffindor table following his back.

"Well, _that_ was fun," Sirius said following James' lead and heading toward the golden doors.

"Will you please tell me I am missing?" Remus asked as he walked with Sirius, Peter trailing behind.

"It's a long story. Let's just say James took our little Ms. Evans to the kitchens last night and she pulled a James," Sirius said, gesturing wildly with his arms as they headed towards Charms class.

"_Pulled a James_?" Remus asked, blinking quickly as if he was being blinded by a bright light.

"Yeah," Sirius said, "and James didn't react as expected."

"I'm not getting it," Peter said from behind them.

"You can't scream, yell, freak out, or otherwise call attention to ourselves when I tell you this," whispered Sirius as he rounded a corner into a deserted corridor. Both the boys nodded their heads and peered up at Sirius.

"Lily and James were talking and sitting on the ground. There was falling, tripping, and grabbing. I don't understand _what_ happened… all I know is… Lily almost kissed James, AND HE TURNED AWAY!" Sirius blurted out.

"NO!" the both gasped, dropping their books, and clapping their hands over their mouths. A rumbling sound filled the corridor, announcing end of breakfast. The corridor began to flood with students among them the fifth years with the ledgers walked by.

"Are you _sure_ they're not gay?" the Ravenclaw boy named Mark, asked his Gryffindor companion.

"_Yes_, I'm sure," the girl, called Katie replied.

"Well, I'm still making a mark under the 'questionable' category," Mark said raising his eyebrows as if challenging her to tell him not to.

"Okay," she said, shaking her head.

Sirius heard this, and now completely fed up with this topic, took the matter into his own hands. It was lucky for him that the intended target of his plan rounded the corner with a certain red head as he plotted.

"ELECTRA, _DARLING_," Sirius hollered at the startled girl.

"Merlin!" she growled as her eyes came across whom had called her name, "What the blazes do you want Black?!"

"_You_, my darling, you," Sirius said, raising his eyebrows, leaning against the wall in a seductive manner.

"Um, okay, Black, I think you may need to take a lie down in the infirmary," Electra said looking skeptically at Sirius, "Not even _you_ are stupid enough to be this persistent."

"But, _love_, I was just thinking we could go to Hogsmeade two weekends from now," Sirius said, now leering down into her face as she passed him.

"Black, asking me out is not going to stop people from thinking you're gay," she said looking at him, a glint in her eye.

"No, but you dating me, like you know you _want_ to, would," he returned as charmingly as possible.

"Black, jump off the astronomy tower and, if you survive that, jump in the lake," Electra called, walking away from him. "Now, if the Giant Squid saves you, get on your broom, and fly into the Whomping Willow."

"Oh love, don't be like that, we all know you want me," he yelled back at her. "She wants me," he muttered to his friends as the boys followed the girls into the Charms room.

"Sure she does, pumpkin, sure she does," Remus said clapping him on the back.

Charms class was extremely uncomfortable as Lily and Electra who normally sat at the table in front of James and Sirius refused to look up from their parchment when Sirius hissed at them, nor when Flitwick called on them, not even to talk to each other. Constantina and Spencer were bickering silently on the other side of the table as Remus tried desperately to get Constantina's attention to ask her about her behavior at breakfast. Peter, who wasn't that gifted at Charms, kept poking all three boys, much to their annoyance because he had no idea what was going on. James was smiling dreamily into space silently dwelling on Lily's greeting from the morning. He was half-way through reliving the previous night when a Slytherin third year interrupted Professor Flitwick.

"Mr. Potter, Ms. Evans, Professor McGonagall asks that you see her today as soon as possible," his tiny voice squeaked, pulling James out of his reverie.

When the class bell rang, James trudged out of the room, his bag slung over his shoulder. Lily was slightly behind him, her brow furrowed. The silence was too much for James. It was overwhelming him; he had to say something, _anything_.

"What do you think she needs us for?" he asked; his voice higher than he thought it could go.

"I dunno," Lily mumbled staring at her feet, the walls, the floor, the portraits; anything but James.

"Well, I have a free period at the end of the day," James said, managing to catch her eye and promptly blushed so scarlet that his face fairly blended in with the tapestry they were passing. "If you're free, we could go see her then, I don't think she has a class."

James ran his hand through his hair nervously. He had said this all casually, as if he hadn't meticulously searched the common room during each of his free periods to see if Lily had the same ones.

"Alright," Lily said, her gaze flicking over to him. "That's fine."

"Great," James said, smiling unsurely and running his hand through his hair once more.

Lily sighed as if she was aggravated. He looked at her quizzically only to find her glaring at his hand as if it had offended her.

"Sorry," he grinned apologetically, remembering that she had expressed her annoyance with this action the previous night. "Guess I'm lucky there aren't any sharp instruments around."

Lily snorted. "As if I need couldn't conjure one up. Never doubt my ability to make you suffer, Potter."

James stared at her wide-eyed, shocked by her abrupt change into a haughty demeanor. It took him a few moments to detect the fact that her lips were threatening to turn up at the corners. He burst into relieved laughter.

"I know that perfectly well," James responded. There was a ringing truth behind his words that neither was willing to acknowledge.

Lily shook her head, rolling her eyes.

"Come on then, James," she said quickening her pace. "We don't want to be late for Potions."

"More like _I_ don't want to be late for Potions," James said, holding open a tapestry so Lily could pass. "Professor Slughorn worships the ground you walk on."

_And he's not the only one_, James thought.

- - -

"Uh, Professor?" James asked hesitantly, rapping his knuckles lightly on the open door to Professor McGonagall's office. "You asked to see us?"

"Yes, come in Potter, Evans," McGonagall said briskly, looking up from the document she had been reviewing. She surveyed the two teenagers standing expectantly in front of the large desk behind her square frames.

"I wouldn't normally do this," Professor McGonagall began, "but we have a difficult situation on hand and the rest of the staff is busy at the moment. I need you two to report to Hagrid. There was a…complicated accident this morning in Care of Magical Creatures which resulted in both Professor Kettleburn and one of his students incapacitated and in the hospital wing."

McGonagall looked highly disapproving and both Lily and James wondered exactly what had happened, but they were soon disappointed as Professor McGonagall did not go into any details.

"The class had been studying Fire Salamanders in a charmed fire. However, Professor Kettleburn was no longer able to supervise the fire and it was left burning too long, creating an Ashwinder," McGonagall stated. "The creature in question ran off into the forest and we suspect that, by this time, it has laid its eggs."

Lily looked at James, completely nonplussed. She had no idea what an Ashwinder was, coming from a Muggle family and having opted to take Ancient Runes instead of Care of Magical Creatures in her third year. James however, clearly understood what an Ashwinder was as he was staring at McGonagall his mouth hanging open.

"But, that means," James said, staring at her in horror, "that the entire forest could go up in flame at any moment!"

"Yes, Potter. I am glad that you appreciate the seriousness of the situation but we estimate that we have a few more hours before more drastic action will need to be taken. To insure that it doesn't however, I am sure that you will both help Hagrid to the best of your considerable ability."

McGonagall returned her attention back to the papers waiting on her desk and James took this as their cue to leave, nudging Lily slightly in the back.

"What on earth is an Ashwinder?" Lily asked loudly as they rounded the corner and began to make their way toward the front doors.

"It's a sort of snake which is created if a magical fire burns too long," James explained. "It lives just long enough to lay its eggs in a dark place. The eggs are extremely hot and when they hatch the sort of… explode," he mimed a blasting Ashwinder egg with his hands.

"And does fire accompany this explosion?" Lily asked, mimicking his hand gesture mockingly.

"Yeah," James grinned, pushing open the front door of the castle.

"So, basically we have few hours to find this thing before the Forbidden Forest becomes the Forbidden bush," Lily summed up, arching an eyebrow.

"Pretty much," he smiled, enjoying the way the sun played on her coppery hair while they crossed the manicured lawn.

"Hey Hagrid!" James called cheerily as they neared the large wooden hut, outside of which the large gamekeeper was standing, drinking deeply from a large mug of water.

" 'Ello, James, Lily," Hagrid greeted, smiling as water dripped over his shaggy beard. "Thanks fer comin' down ter help me." Hagrid set the mug down on the front step of his cabin with a dull thud and mopped his sweaty brow with a large, spotted hankerchief.

"Anytime," Lily said at the same time James scoffed, "No problem." They looked briefly at each other and glanced back up at the game keeper, both smiling and blushing slightly. Hagrid looked back and forth between them, he had never seen them together before, as Lily had long professed a deep-seated dislike of James.

"When the two of you get so friendly?" Hagrid asked.

James shot Hagrid a warning look as Lily opened her mouth to reply, blushing furiously. "Any luck at all finding it Hagrid?" he asked pointedly.

"No," Hagrid replied. "Been in there all mornin' followin' the ashes it leaves behind. But it musta criss-crossed itself plenty, cause they don't seem to lead nowhere, least of all the those eggs." He rolled his shoulders back and picked up his crossbow where it had been leaning against his hut.

" 'Opefully it'll go faster with three of us lookin.' Anyway, I wan' you two ter be careful. The fores' is more dangerous o' late. Stick together and try not to wander off the path. If yeh find the eggs, cas' a freezin' charm on 'em, cause they're valuable in Potions, see. An' James," Hagrid added, a twinkle in his eye, "take good care o' Lily, will yeh?"

"See you later, Hagrid!" James called as he latched onto an indignant Lily's arm. She followed him reluctantly, grumbling while the gamekeepers booming laughs followed them into the shelter of the trees.

They walked steadily into the forest for what seemed like a good half an hour, following the thin trail of gray ashes that littered the forest floor. Both Lily and James had their wands lit and held aloft, as the foliage had long ago become too dense for the sun to penetrate.

"_Stop doing that_!" Lily hissed angrily when James stepped in front of her for what seemed like the hundredth time.

"Doing what?" James asked, nonchalantly.

As they traveled deeper into the forest together, James was growing nervous, not for himself, but for Lily. He had stopped fearing the forest once he and his friends had mastered the secret to becoming animagi. James knew that he could always transform if he got into a sticky situation, as most of the dangerous creatures in the forest were more likely to ignore a fellow animal. Lily however, had no such protection. She also had no idea that he wasn't a registered animagus. For this reason, James kept trying to position himself in front of Lily, thinking that danger would have to go through him in order to get to her.

Unfortunately Lily appeared to have noticed this tactic and was none too pleased. She shoved him over none too gently so they were walking side by side once again.

"Stop stepping in front of me like some macho savior," she snapped. "I am _not_ some damsel in distress."

"I know that," James murmured, knowing full well that Lily was quick with a wand. Still, could you blame a bloke for being concerned about the welfare of the girl he fancied?

They stopped unexpectedly. The trail of ash they had been following suddenly branched off in eight or nine different directions.

"I can see what Hagrid meant," James said, staring down at the weird sort of gray star on the forest floor. "Well, which way do you want to follow?"

"The right one," Lily replied, crouching down near the center of the intersection. She waved her wand in a slightly complicated motion, doing some sort of nonverbal spell.

The trail of ashes leading off to their right glowed a vivid blue.

"That one," Lily said, standing up and starting to follow the trail which continued to shine eerily in the dark.

"What did you do?" James asked, duly impressed.

"Heat-seeking charm," Lily answered, turning to look at him over her shoulder. "I learned it in a book Professor Flitwick lent me."

They walked in silence for a few more minutes. James was trying to think of a way to strike up a conversation, but was unable to think of anything to say. It occurred to him that after six years attending the same school and being in the same house, James really didn't know much about Lily Evans except for the fact that she was muggle-born, her favorite subject was Charms, she was intelligent, strong-willed, and an excellent person to have a full blown row with. He didn't know if she liked Quidditch or if she enjoyed her other classes. He didn't know if she preferred Wizard's Chess to Exploding Snap or what her favorite food was. He _did_ know that she liked sugar quills now that he thought about it a lot but he didn't find that realization fairly groundbreaking considering all of the things he had just admitted that he _didn't_ know. But he wanted to know them. _Badly_. That had to count for something, didn't it?

Lily threw an arm out. He caught it in the gut and grunted at the unexpected contact.

"Lily what―?" he began but she cut him off.

"Shhh!" she hissed. "Do you hear that?"

James stood silently, rubbing his stomach and squinting into the dimness, straining his ears for the sound Lily was talking about.

And then he heard it.

Somewhere up ahead there was distinct slithering sound.

Lily took off running before he even had a chance to open his mouth.

She was _fast_.

Lighter and smaller than he was, Lily could maneuver the twisting path more easily, avoiding the braches that James was forced to duck.

James swore as brambles snatched at his robes, ripping a long gash at the hem. He rounded a bend. The blue trail was brighter now, leading off of the path and into a thick tangle of trees. _We must be close_, he thought. The same thing must have occurred to Lily, she had picked up her pace and was now yards ahead of him, darting in and out of the trees like some sort of ethereal wood nymph.

She entered a particularly dense clearing and James lost sight of her completely.

"_James, I found them_!" he heard her voice, slightly winded but triumphant, call ahead of him. Then all of a sudden Lily let out a strangled cry. There was a loud crack which sounded like breaking wood and a dull thud. A scream echoed through the darkness.

"_Lily_!" James yelled frantically.

He surrendered his robe to the bush it had been ensnared in and sprinted as fast as he could along the blue trail. The trail vanished suddenly and there, on a bed of dead leaves and broken twigs, was Lily. She was sitting, one knee drawn up to her chest, clutching her ankle. Her expression was twisted in pain.

James stumbled over to her side, dropping to his knees, filled with an odd sense of relief. For one moment he had been half-positive that Lily had been attacked.

"What happened?" he panted, his hand gripping her arm tightly.

"Never mind," Lily gasped. "Get…the…snake…eggs…"

James looked around wildly, jumping slightly as he noticed the nest of four brightly glowing ruby red eggs resting on a pillow of leaves at the base of a large tree, barely a foot from his knee.

He pointed his wand at the eggs. "_Glacius_," he bellowed.

Frost formed around the eggs. There was a loud hissing sound and the eggs turned a violent shade of black. He repeated the charm just to make sure before turning his attention back to Lily.

"Is it your ankle?"

Lily nodded slightly, breathing deeply as if it would assuage her pain.

James reached out with gentle fingers and pried her hand away from the ankle she was holding.

"Can you move it?" he asked hesitantly. She nodded and screwing her face up managed to wiggle her heavily swollen ankle half an inch before swearing worse than he had thought her capable of.

"I think it's just a bad sprain," he said, pushing himself to his feet. He picked up a rock which lay on the ground and tapped it with his wand, transfiguring it into a small pouch. He collected the frozen eggs and placed them inside, tying to drawstring tightly.

"Here," he said, holding the pouch out to Lily. "Can you hold this?"

She took the pouch, blinking at it confusedly and trying to push herself off of the ground to no avail.

"Pardon my logic," Lily said icily, "but seeing as I will be struggling to walk, couldn't you summon some of that annoying chivalrous attitude you had earlier and carry it?"

"No," James replied. "Because that annoying chivalrous attitude is going to carry you out of here." He bent down and wrapped one arm securely around her back and sliding the other one under her legs to support her knees, hauling her up into his arms.

"James," Lily demanded, "put me down!"

"I don't think so," James grinned as he began to walk them out of the forest.

"Well I do," Lily stated dramatically through her haze of pain.

"And what makes you so sure?" he shot back at her. "Do you mind pushing my glasses up?" he asked as they slipped down his still slightly sweaty nose while he was navigating them through the maze of undergrowth.

Lily huffed and pushed his glasses up gently with one hand. She blushed when her fingers came in contact with his cheek.

"Anyway," she said, "to answer your question, if you don't put me down, I'll drop this!" She held the small pouch over the hard earth.

"_Evans_," James growled warningly.

Lily let the bag slip a little in her fingers.

"Don't!" he cried.

"Then put me down," Lily repeated haughtily.

"_Fine_," James snapped. _Why_ did she have to be so enticing and infuriating at the same time?

He released her legs gently and slowly lowered her onto the ground, keeping his arm wrapped firmly around her waist.

"_See_," Lily said taking a step forward and paling visibly as her swollen ankle wobbled under the pressure. "I'm perfectly fine. I can walk."

She took another determined step forward and gasped, her ankle screaming in protest at the weight. She swayed unsteadily on the spot and James caught her when she almost fell, keeping her in a standing position. Lily's hand came up to grip his sweater as she balanced on one foot.

James could not help but notice how close they were, her body pressed against his own.

"Let me carry you," he said quietly, looking down at her.

"No," she said, shaking her head emphatically. "You'll hurt yourself."

"Honestly, Lily, you're not heavy," James fairly begged.

"_No_."

"You can't even _walk_, Lily. This is ridiculous!" his voice grew more heated, his frustration at her stubbornness growing rapidly.

"I don't need you to act like some knight in shining armor and carry me triumphantly back to the castle. I am a perfectly capable witch!" Lily shot back.

"I'm not trying to be a knight. I'm just trying to help out a friend!" James returned. Lily blinked and saw her reflection in the lenses of his glasses in the dim light. When had they gotten so close?

"No," she whispered, acutely aware of the lack of distance between them.

"_Fine_," he snapped. "If you won't let me carry you like this," he said, stepping back a few feet, "maybe you'll let me carry you like _this_."

Lily gasped.

Where the tall boy with messy black hair had been only moments before, there now stood a majestic stag. It stared at her with its large hazel eyes and it was all Lily could do to stare back at it.

The stag tilted its head downward as if inviting her to touch it and she noticed that its antlers were shaped in a vague reminder of the pieces of hair at the back of James' head that always stuck up stubbornly. She hobbled forward, her hand reaching out to touch the stag's face. The animal leaned into her touch and Lily laughed airily in sheer wonderment.

She tried to move a little closer, forgetting her pain completely in light of this rather shocking revelation. Agony seared up her leg as she stepped fully on her injured ankle. Crying out, she stumbled forward only to find herself held firmly in James Potter's arms once more.

"Lily, _please_," he begged.

"H-how?" she breathed.

"It doesn't matter right now," James said quickly, wanting to get her to hospital wing before she did something stupid and risked permanent damage. "I can take you to the edge of the forest and then I'll go back in a ways to transform, just in case anyone is watching. You _will_ wait and I'll help you the rest of the way. Just please, please don't tell anyone I'm an animagus in the meantime."

Lily nodded mutely, still in slight shock.

The stag appeared again. It walked slowly over to her and bowed its front legs. making it easier for her to mount. Lily swung her injured ankle over the stag's neck and pulled herself up until she was straddling its back.

She gasped as the stag rose once more to its full height and set off through the trees. Lily was soon forced to lean close to the stag― James' back as branches tangled in her hair. She wrapped her arms around his neck, amazed by the feel of the strong sinew and muscle below her, the softness of his coat against her skin.

James took her to the edge of the trees and bowed low to the ground again, allowing her to slide off. She reached a hand up almost without meaning to and stroked his face.

It was so strange to see such a human expression on an animal's face as her fingertips lightly trailed down between the stag's eyes to its nose. It was almost like…longing.

"_Thank you_," Lily whispered, smiling when the stag positively _nodded_ twice and trotted off into the shelter of the trees.

She sighed and allowed herself to sag against a tree, keeping her weight off of her injured ankle. Lily was resigned to waiting for James, keener on allowing him to help now that she had numerous questions smoldering within her that demanded answers.

"Lily?"

She looked around, startled by the voice. She was expecting James but instead she came face to face with―

"Severus." Lily looked coldly back at the person who had once been her closest friend, her guide to the mysterious world of magic.

Snape moved closer to her, his eyes roving over her disheveled appearance, ripped robes, and the small pouch clutched in her hand.

"What were you doing?" he asked.

"Finding Ashwinder eggs," Lily replied stiffly. She gritted her teeth and took a few wobbling steps away from the trees, suddenly frightened that Snape might see James transform. Her injury did not escape Snape's ever-observant gaze.

"Lily," he asked, his voice concerned. "What happened to your ankle?"

"It's none of your business what happened to my ankle. Don't pretend to care about me all of a sudden when we haven't even spoken for two years. Why don't you just run along to your _friends_?" she said, annoyed that she still felt a twinge of regret that their relationship had fallen apart, even after the way he had treated her.

"Lily," Snape began moving as if he wanted to reach out to her but stopping mid-motion. "I…"

"Save it," Lily snapped. "You made your choice."

A silence fell between them, rife with memories.

"I overheard your friends saying that you were hanging out with Potter today," Snape said suddenly, breaking the silence.

"So what if I was?" Lily returned. "It's none of your business what James and I are―"

"_James_?" Snape cut in, looking livid. "So he's _James_ now? Lily I thought _you_ of all people knew what kind of person he is. I don't want you around him."

Lily glared at Snape, her hands curling into fists at her side. "You do not get to have any input on who I am around or not. You gave up that right a long time ago."

"Lily, _please_," Snape said desperately.

It was at this particular moment that James, who had been making his way back toward the edge of the forest, caught sight of Snape and Lily a few feet away. He was about to march forward and snatch her away from the greasy-haired git when Lily spoke again.

"Please _what_, Severus?" she sighed almost wearily. "We've been over this before. I won't associate with someone who has aspirations to become a murderer. People are _dying_ out there, Sev," Lily said imploringly. Try as she might she could not forget the fun they had shared as children, the good she knew he had buried in his heart years ago. "Your lot are killing innocent people, maiming the elderly, leaving kids orphaned. James' parents could die in the fight any day now―"

"So you care about your precious Potter's parents then?" Snape sneered. "Did you forget what he's done to me?"

"No, I haven't!" Lily returned hotly. "But I also can't forget that you're going to do _worse_ things! I've never met James' parents but I'm sure that they're good people to be fighting so hard to win this war. And I know I'm going to fight alongside them and all the others like them."

"Like _Potter_?" Snape asked, taking a step closer to her. Snape was good head taller than Lily and used this to his advantage as he loomed over her defiant face.

"Yes, like _James_."

Snape moved so there was barely an inch of space between them. "Are you his friend then?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper. There was fury, pain, and hatred in his eyes.

"_Yes_," Lily returned, her voice hardly louder than Snape's, but the one word rang in the stillness of the grounds.

"You promised―"

"We promised each other a lot of things back then," Lily stated quietly. "But people change, Sev." She shook her head, her emerald eyes full of grief. "I wish you would."

Snape stared at her with an indescribable emotion playing on his face. James, who had been staring transfixed, unable to tear his eyes away from the scene, started as Lily who had been standing defiantly on two feet, lurched slightly.

Snape reached out a hand to steady her, but James darted out of the trees and got there first, wrapping his arms securely around her waist. Snape's fingers, which had been resting on her elbow, were jerked away as if burned.

Snape and James glared at each other.

"Where did _you_ come from, Potter?" Snape spat.

James opened his mouth to deliver a scathing reply when Lily staggered, her head colliding with his chest.

"James," she whispered, imploringly. Her face was ghostly pale and she looked seconds away from fainting. James guessed that this was a byproduct of supporting her weight on her injured ankle.

Come on," James said, lifting her in his arms once more and cradling her close against his chest as if guarding her from Snape. "Let's get you to the hospital wing." And with one last, withering look at Snape, James strode off across the grounds.

Snape stood helpless and watched as James Potter, his archrival, carried Lily away from him.

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A/N: **REVIEW** or we will sick our chorus of dancing house-elves from Harry Potter the Musical, singing "We're so wild about Harry!" incessantly with no other lyrics, because we can't discover what they are. 


	4. Wishing for Impossible Things

A/N: Hello readers! Having just finished up our Harry Potter camp last Friday and missing it terribly, we finished up this chapter just in time to start your week off right. Have fun and don't forget to review!

**Due to an incredible error, a part of the story that may or may not occur was posted instead of this, the actual chapter. Please pardon the mistake.**

* * *

**Points in the Right Direction  
****Chapter Four: Wishing for Impossible Things**

"_Spen-cer_," Sirius called across the deserted common room late one weekday night. "I need help."

"No," Spencer said, fiddling with the end of her ponytail as her eyes continued to scan the large novel she had perched in her lap.

"Spence," Sirius said gently as he approached her, leaning his head over the edge of the sofa, his face peering into her own. "_I said_ I need help."

"And _I said_, no," Spencer replied, glancing up at him, flushing slightly when she noticed the close proximity of their faces. Sirius, thinking it just the effect of the heat of the fire, vaulted over the back of the sofa to land beside her. He sprawled himself across it, his legs swinging back and forth over the arm. His tousled black head landed with a soft _plop_ on the page she was currently attempting to read.

"Please, Spencer!" Sirius wheedled. "Pretty please, I'll love you forever."

Sirius and Spencer had an odd friendship. They had bonded quickly one night long ago when they had both discovered that each other's families were less than pleased with the house they had been sorted into. Sirius was the first Gryffindor in a long line of Slytherins, while Spencer was the first in a long line of proud Hufflepuffs. Over the years, she had sought Sirius out at the end of her bad days for comfort, and he would always find her when he had something to talk about that he didn't feel comfortable discussing with his male friends. Over the years however, Spencer's feelings had grown so that she felt significantly more for Sirius than one would for a mere close friend.

Spencer glanced down at him, determined not to do anything that might make him suspicious of her true feelings for him but she could not prevent the traitorous thought which bellowed 'I wish you would!' on a blinking marquee in her mind.

"No Black," she said suppressing a smile. "I don't care what it is. Anyone who ignores me for the first month of school and then comes begging to me for help the first time he can't talk to his friends because it's too embarrassing doesn't rate very high up on my list of priorities."

"But Spencer, you've been my friend for _seven_ years. I never thought one month and a stupid book would come between us like this. It pains me to see you treat me this way, as though I'm just a piece of… _meat_," he cried dramatically, clutching at her oversized t-shirt.

"How am I treating _you_ like a piece of meat?" Spencer asked, surprised because she had just been thinking that _he_ treated _her _the same way.

"Tossing me aside, leading me on...I thought I meant more to you." Spencer, who had been staring determinedly ahead, suddenly found herself staring into the piteous puppy-dog eyes of Sirius as he had taken one large hand and wrenched her chin down to meet his gaze. The temperature in her face rose ten fold; she was surprised he wasn't starting to melt from the heat.

"Sirius, I... I..." her breath hitched.

"Just help me, _please_," Sirius pleaded.

"Sirius, it's late. I really just want to read my book and then go to bed," Spencer said, finally able to tear herself from his grasp and breathe again.

"What the hell are you reading anyway?" Sirius barked, wrenching the book from her grasp as she sputtered incomprehensibly at him.

"Sir-- I-- don't--it's just a book--Lily lent it to me--"

"_Sword of the Black Knight_?" Sirius cried incredulously, glancing at the cover which depicted a rather brawny, dark haired man intertwined with a rather busty, blue-eyed brunette apparently about to engage in promiscuous activity.

"Sirius, please don't..."

"Make fun of you? You've got to be kidding me..." he laughed as he opened the book to the page Spencer had previously been reading and began reciting, "As he torturously unraveled the strings of her corset, freeing her voluptuous breasts to the balmy air of her chamber bedroom, his free hand roamed the tender flesh of her thighs, beneath the many layers of gown that were floating to the floor..."

Spencer's cheeks were even warmer than they had been when he had pulled her face down to his own. She could not prevent her mind from picturing exactly whom she had been imagining in the lead roles.

"So, who do you picture when you read this Spen Ben?" Sirius asked, a cheeky grin on his face. She gazed at him while his eyes twinkled up at her. If possible, she flushed even darker as she took in a deep breath of air.

"You needed help?" she asked quickly, changing the topic.

"Ah, that's what I like to hear," he said, poking her in the stomach.

"What can the wonderful Spencer Bensur do for you tonight?" she asked trying to ignore the pleasant tingling sensation at the point in her stomach where Sirius had poked her.

"There's this girl," Sirius began.

"Let me guess. You want Electra. Electra doesn't want you. You want me to tell you how to get her. I want to read. And the only way to get what we want is for me to help you get Electra?" she asked, avoiding his eyes.

"Right you are, Spence, right you are," Sirius said, looking intently up at her. Spencer stared determinedly into the fire. _Just push the knife in a little knife in deeper, Siri,_ she thought. _I didn't already feel insignificant_.

"Hey, you okay?" Sirius asked staring up at her, concern etched on his face.

"Oh yeah, yeah... I'm fine, sorry... just thinking," she said, coming back to reality.

"So, can you help?" he asked hopefully, completely oblivious to the look in her eyes as she glanced down at him.

"I'll do what I can, Siri. I'll talk to her," Spencer replied, rubbing her bloodshot eyes.

"I just don't understand it." Sirius shook his head slightly in her lap, making her desperately want to squirm. "The other girls just fall all over me. I could just point to one and go 'Broom closet, you, five minutes,' and they're there. But with her I say that and she calls me bisexual!" he groaned, gesticulating with his hands wildly, "Do I repulse her that much?!"

"No, it's just... Electra doesn't trust easily. And your track record, putting it nicely… _sucks_," Spencer said carefully.

"_Thanks,_ Spen Ben. I think so highly of you as well," Sirius said, rolling his eyes.

"Look, Siri, I'll talk to her, just... give me some time okay?"_ Lots of time, _she thought to herself, _lots and lots of time._

"Thanks Spence, I knew I liked you for a reason," Sirius said, tugging at the end of her ponytail affectionately.

_And I wish I knew why I like you so_ _much_, she thought scathingly.

Sirius pulled himself off the couch in one swift motion, flashing her a bright smile as he made his way toward his dormitory.

"Hey," he called, pausing on his way up the staircase, "Why are you down here anyway?"

"Lily and Electra are fighting because Lily won't tell us what happened in the kitchen with James that has her so worked up and Constantina's having her time of the month―"

"Really? So is Remus!" Sirius cried out.

The silence that met his ears was a harder slap then the one he was mentally giving himself.

"Wait. _What_?" Spencer asked, quizzically.

"Oh you know, test week," Sirius said, waving is hands crazily as if trying to catch an idea in mid-air.

"But I haven't had a test all week," Spencer said, now intrigued.

"Oh you know Remus. Always the studious one," Sirius said, his voice reaching decibels he didn't know existed.

"You know I'm beginning to think Lily was right; something's up with you guys," Spencer speculated, her brown eyes scrutinizing her friend.

"Up? Something is _always_ up in the boys dormitory," Sirius choked out, his voice a good three octaves higher than his usual speaking voice.

"Sirius, that's disgusting, even by your standards," Spencer said, shaking her head.

"Yes, yes, I know, I'm horrible. I'll just be going to bed. Night Spence, Don't go reenacting that book anytime soon, otherwise, I'll know," Sirius said hastily, running up the stairs two at a time.

- - -

"SHIT. SHIT. SHIT. DAMN. PISS. FUCKING SHITTY PISSING DAMN!"

"Oi! What was that beautiful chorus of cursing for?" asked an incredibly groggy Remus as he drew back the scarlet hangings surrounding his bed.

Ignoring him, Sirius rounded on his other best friend who had not had the decency to be woken by his outburst.

"Prongs! PRONGS! WAKE UP YOU USELESS PIECE OF SHIT!" Sirius screamed in James' ear as he shook him awake.

"What is it?" James mumbled drowsily into his pillow as Sirius thumped him on the back.

"_Wake up_!" Sirius hollered, flipping James over and hauling him fiercely up to eye level by his t-shirt.

"I'm awake! I'm awake. Calm down, for Merlin's sake..."

"_She_ knows, James! She _knows_!" Sirius screamed hysterically into his friends face, "SHE KNOWS! MERLIN FUCKING GRINDLEWALD!"

"Now there's an image," James said shaking his head at the mental picture.

"Who knows what, Sirius?" Remus asked yawning. He had been hoping to get some sleep this week as it would help him recover after the swiftly approaching full moon.

"Lily knows what we are!" Sirius said letting go of James' shirt, letting his friend flop unceremoniously onto his bed while he whipped around to face Remus.

"What?" James said as he rolled back onto his stomach, preparing to fall asleep again, "Incredibly sexy teenage boys? Took her long enough to figure it out." James, who had not yet found a way to tell his friends that he had spilled the beans to Lily Evans that he was an unregistered animagus, was praying silently that Lily had not betrayed his trust.

"_No_, you lazy git! She knows about Moony's furry little problem!" Sirius said jumping on top of James shaking him. Stunned into a near panic at this news, James flipped back over. Lily not only knew that he was animagus, she also knew the far more dangerous secret that Remus was a werewolf?

"MERLIN FUCKING GRINDLEWALD!" James screamed into Sirius' wide eyes.

"Really, I don't need a reenactment of that image, thanks though," Remus said, staring at his friends unwittingly compromising position. Sirius looked down at James, James looked up at Sirius, and they both looked down. Sirius was straddling James' body, his arms on his shoulders, their faces inches apart. Sirius leapt off of James' bed like it had suddenly burst into flames.

"Okay, why are you taking more interest in... _that_..." Sirius gestured at the bed wildly with his arms," and not in the fact that Lily knows you wolf-out every month."

"I know she knows," Remus said calmly, apparently finding something on the ceiling fascinating. "I told her."

"You _what_?" Sirius stormed over to Remus' bed and hit him hard in the chest.

"What was that for?" Remus said, breathing in heavily.

"What the fuck are you thinking? Telling Lily Evans about this," Sirius said grabbing Remus roughly.

"I trust her," Remus said coolly, meeting Sirius' frightened and angry gaze.

"But... you _can't_ just... _tell_ people," Sirius said outraged. "And WHY THE FUCK isn't Peter awake?"

"I put a silencing charm on his bed. You know he does snore rather loudly," Remus said matter-of-factly. "And I can tell anyone I choose about my being a werewolf; it's my business."

"But why Lily of all people? I didn't know you two were so… _close_," Sirius said, looking at Remus with his eyes wide. James shot up in his bed; Remus just stared at Sirius. Then a look of dawning comprehension spread across Sirius' face.

"_Are you fucking Evans?"_ Sirius exclaimed his mouth agape.

"Sirius, when you were born, instead of saying 'It's a boy!' did the healer say 'It's a dumbass?'" Remus asked, staring at his friend, the color in his face rising, "That's the most _ridiculous_ thing you could have ever insinuated! One, I have a girlfriend, and I would _never_ do that to her. Two, James is in love with Lily, and even if I did have some sort of... crush... on her... I would never do that to _him_. Three, just because you can't keep it in your pants for more than a day, doesn't mean some of us can't exercise some self-control!"

There was a long drawn out silence as both James and Sirius stared at Remus, shocked by the intensity of his reaction. It was most out of character for the gentle member of their group.

"I'm sorry," Sirius muttered ashamedly.

"It's okay. Just... go to sleep," Remus sighed in an almost defeated way. He climbed back into his bed and drew the curtains closed.

Sirius made his way over to his bed, stripped down to his boxers, and jumped right into his bed; he didn't have the energy to put his pajama's on.

The boys gradually fell asleep in the almost stiflingly awkward silence. An hour later however, all three boys missed the shuffling sound of feet as they neared James bed, as pudgy hands shoved the invisibility cloak under it before little feet scurried over to the fourth bed, whose curtains were drawn. With a frightened squeak, a scared-looking boy drew the hangings closed once more.

- - -

"That's hilarious," Electra laughed, scooping up another handful of popcorn.

"I know, I know," Spencer snorted into her own concoction of mashed up chocolate frogs and fluffy buttered kernels.

"He wanted you to talk to me to see why I won't date him, and then have you report back to him. What are we_, first years?" _Electra snorted derisively.

"I think he's merely captivated by your resistance," Constantina said, blinking slowly. "It's not everyday a girl doesn't fall at his feet. Bertie Bott's Lily?" she asked, holding out a rather large box of the brightly colored candy to the red-head who was curled on the floor in front of her, wrapped in a large fleece blanket.

"No, thanks," Lily said swiftly as she glanced up, startled. She had been thinking about the other day...about the stag and ..._James_. She shook her head, her hair snapping with the movement.

She had known Remus was a werewolf ever since her fifth year. Lily, like all of her fellow Gryffindors began to wonder where the quiet, most studious member of the infamous Marauders went once a month. She had also noticed that the excuses were rather inconsistent; Remus was ill, a family member died, his _mother_ was ill... In order to satiate her relentless curiosity, Lily began checking off the dates of his disappearances in the small planner she used to record her homework but no discernable pattern seemed to emerge.

Then, one night, right after finishing her Defense Against the Dark Arts homework, she had been staring out the common room pondering this mystery when she happened to notice the full moon shining outside the snowy window. It hadn't taken her long to look up the times of the full moon and decipher that her suspicions were true. She had confronted Remus the next time they were assigned to prefect rounds together and he had admitted everything. Lily had allowed her curiosity to dwindle.

But, she _never_ would've expected _this_! James was an animagus… There were so many questions she wanted to ask. _How'd he do it? What did it feel like? How long did it take for him to figure it out? Were the other two animagi as well?_ Her head was reeling.

"Lily? HELL-O! Lily, are you listening?" Constantina's voice penetrated her mind.

"Sorry, Connie, my mind was wandering. What were you saying?" Lily asked furrowing her brow as she pulled herself into a sitting position on the floor.

"I was just asking why you aren't telling us about what happened the night you went down to the kitchens with James," Constantina said, arching an eyebrow at her friend.

Electra perked her ears up at this; she had argued with Lily on the exact same subject earlier that week. Lily refused to tell Electra what had happened, which caused Electra's mind to jump straight to the conclusion that _something _happened.

When she had approached Lily, her friend had yelled at her, actually _yelled_, about how it was none of her business. Electra couldn't help but laugh derisively at her friend's expression; it was an odd mixture of fear, fury, nervousness, and humility that Electra had never witnessed before.

"Come on, Lils, you have to tell us," Spencer mock-pleaded with her friend.

"I—I—it's…" Lily stuttered out.

Her friends would surely make fun of her; but on the other hand it'd be nice to have people to talk to about this feeling of…of… of _what,_ Lily didn't know.

"Give it up, Spencer, Lily won't tell," Electra sneered. She was still a bit angry at Lily for biting her head off just for asking her a question. Granted, it _was_ a personal question, but it didn't matter in Electra's mind, they _were_ best friends.

Lily glowered at Electra.

"Just because I wasn't ready to tell you three days ago, doesn't mean I'm not ready now," Lily snapped, flicking her head at Electra.

"Oh, _do_ tell," Electra cried sardonically as she clambered forward in her chintz armchair chair.

"_Fine_, I will," Lily said haughtily, "I almost kissed James."

There was silence for a few short moments then the girls, thinking Lily was joking, burst into laughter at the mere idea of Lily kissing James Potter. Electra stopped abruptly when she realized that Lily was dead serious.

"What do you mean _almost_?" Spencer gasped through her laughter.

"H-he… he turned away," Lily stuttered. There was more delighted laughter.

"_James Potter_? _The_ James Potter?" Electra said incredulously. She fell off her chair in her newly resumed fit of giggles, which met a whole new round of laughter.

"Yes, _him_," Lily said, regaining her composure as she helped Electra back into her seat.

"So, you're telling us," Constantina said pointing at Lily, "that _you_ went to kiss _James Potter _and _he_ turned away."

"Yes," Lily said nodding while her cheeks flushed furiously.

"I have a couple of problems with that statement," Electra said holding up two fingers, "One, you, Lily Evans, tried to _kiss_ James Potter. And two, James Potter, THE James Potter, turned away."

"I know," Lily mumbled shoving her face into her hands.

"What happened, Lils?" Constantina inquired.

"Well, we went down to the kitchens, and we were talking, and… I don't know! He was being so nice, and acting mature. And he gave me that lopsided grin that he has," Lily huffed into her hands feeling her cheeks flush even harder.

"Ah, the lopsided grin," Spencer said staring off into space. "Gets me every time."

"Shut up, Spence," Electra said throwing a pillow at Spencer.

"Hey," Spencer screeched indignantly, throwing a handful of popcorn at Electra in retaliation.

"Anyway," Lily said, segueing back into her story, "I was sitting on the ground and I stood up and I went to heave him off the floor, but we somehow got entangled. I… looked up at him, and I don't know what happened to me, I just thought 'What the hell! Why not?' and went to kiss him. He turned away at the last second and I got his left cheek," she said staring into the fire.

"_Wow_," Spencer breathed.

"No kidding," Constantina said her eyes wide.

"And I… don't know how I feel about it," Lily whispered quietly.

"_Don't know how you feel about it?"_ Electra repeated as the other girls fell completely silent.

She put her bowl of popcorn on the coffee table with a bang and flopped down on the floor in front of Lily so she could peer intently at her face.

"_Merlin's beard_," Electra gasped as Lily's cheeks flushed again under her intent gaze, knowing full well that her best friend could read everything it implied. "You're actually _attracted_ to Potter …to the point where you're actually considering _doing_ something about it. I mean I always teased you, but I never thought I'd see the day when _this_ would happen…"

Electra laughed as Lily fell backwards onto the nest of extra pillows on the floor and covered up her head with the lion-emblazoned blanket, groaning in embarrassment. Spencer extricated herself from her armchair and joined the other two on the floor.

"Lily Potter does have a nice ring to it, doesn't it?" she laughed, tickling the blanket-covered Lily, causing Electra to laugh harder. Lily, smiling slightly, poked her head out from under the blanket.

"Lily _Potter_?" she gasped looking scandalized. "That sounds bloody_ awful!"_ The three burst into another round of raucous laughter.

"Come on, Connie!" Spencer said, tugging the blonde down on the floor with them. "You can't be all alone up there."

"Well she shouldn't be lonely for long," Electra said, propping herself up on her elbow.

"What are you talking about?" Constantina asked stiffly, brushing a lock of hair behind her ear.

Lily shifted her position so she could fling her feet up on the seat of the chair Spencer had just vacated, her hair clashing horribly with the scarlet cushions the quartet was currently nestled in. She fixed Constantina with an odd look. "_Remus_, of course."

"Shouldn't they have been back by now?" Spencer queried, looking around the room as if a marauder would suddenly materialize out of a flagstone. "I wanted some celebratory ice cream and Siri promised he'd get some for me."

Lily nodded in response to her friend's question. The boys had left over a half-hour ago, claiming they were going to the kitchens for their own late night snack. _Well_, Lily thought, _Remus, Sirius and James had left_. Peter hadn't been with them as much of late.

Lily wondered if they'd had a falling out but decided against it as neither Sirius, Remus nor James looked as torn up as they were bound to if something had happened. She had considered the fact that Peter could have had a girlfriend, but had dismissed the idea almost immediately, it was almost laughable.

She also hadn't seen Peter during her rounds that night, at the end of which, she'd stopped by the kitchens to ask Foozie for something to eat, seeing as she'd had to stop eating partway through dinner to help break-up a fight between a Hufflepuff third year and a Slyherin. The Slytherin had been making fun of a building collapse earlier in the week which was rumored to have been caused by Lord Voldemort and his supporters. The Hufflepuff in question had been angered on behalf of his muggleborn friend whose stepfather had been killed in the incident.

She and James had made quick work of the fight, but Lily still had to escort the Slytherin down to Professor Slughorn's office so he could dole out an appropriate punishment. Slughorn had been entertaining a supposedly famous author in his room at the time and spent at least twenty-minutes raving about Lily's splendid potions making skills to his visitor.

Lily allowed her mind to wander back to the conversation as Electra, who'd suddenly processed what Spencer had said, interrupted her gently prodding inquiries into the status of Constantina's relationship with Remus.

"Wait," Electra said, poking Spencer in the shoulder. "What are you celebrating? And since when have you called him _Siri_?"

Spencer looked quickly away, cursing inwardly that she had let the nickname slip. Electra and Lily especially could be incredibly perceptive at times, and it wouldn't do to have them suddenly guess the secret she had managed to hide for seven years. It would make things awkward between her and Electra, seeing as they both had feelings for the same boy and Spencer really didn't see the need to confess anytime soon as Sirius had made it quite clear where his sights were resting.

"I got an eighty-nine percent on that Arithmancy test I thought I was going to fail," she said cheerily. "And Sirius and I have been friends since first year. You knew that, you just chose to ignore it."

"But _Siri_?" Electra said, shaking her head. "I have a hard time believing that the great playwizard Sirius Black allows a mere slip of a girl to call him _Siri_."

"Well, he calls me Spen Ben," Spencer said indignantly, "which I absolutely detest." She pulled a face. "So, I call him Siri," she finished simply, turning back to Constantina.

Electra, momentarily distracted, turned and set her gaze on Constantina who was sitting straight-backed on the floor, trying desperately to primly avoid her friends' scrutiny.

"_So_," Spencer demanded, "how _are_ things with Remus?"

"Or, you could just cut to the part we're all aiming at," Lily interjected, grinning.

"Namely, what _things_ have you done with him," Electra added a little too loudly, causing the exact person they were discussing to pause in the motion of opening the portrait hole, almost dropping the butterbeers he was carrying.

"Ow, Moony," Sirius said loudly as he ran into Remus' back. "Why don't you give a guy a warn―" he trailed off as he heard Spencer's very familiar laughter drift out of the slightly open portrait hole followed by a chorus of more female mirth.

"Well, well," he said devilishly, "what _do_ we have here?" he asked as he heard Lily say, "I told you what happened with James in the kitchen, Connie! You have to tell us what you've done with Remus!"

"Honestly," the Fat Lady squawked quietly. "It's not nice to eavesdrop."

"Please," Sirius scoffed in a harsh whisper, "like you're not dying to find out what they've done too?" The portrait stared at him like he was something highly offensive, blushing to match her dress but saying nothing more.

"What's going on?" James whispered tucking the invisibility cloak back in the bag he had slung over his shoulder, which was currently playing host to Spencer's carton of ice cream.

"They're trying to get Constantina to tell them what she and Moony have done together," Sirius supplied quietly, craning his head over Remus' trying to get a better look at the girls.

"_They?"_ James repeated. "Does that mean―"

"Yeah, Lily's there too," Sirius said as James stood on tiptoe, trying to use his height to his advantage and see the object of his affections. They fell silent as the storm of pleading ended unexpectedly when Constantina practically shouted, "All right! _Fine_."

Remus paled considerably.

"We haven't done _that_ much," Constantina said quickly. "I mean we've snogged quite a lot and…" she trailed off and the boys could see that her usually pale forehead had turned horribly red as if her entire face was enflamed with embarrassment.

"So nothing _else_ has happened?" Spencer asked pointedly.

"Like what?" Constantina squeaked.

"Like, I don't know, he happened to brush your rather large… assets during one of these cozy little snogging sessions?" Lily asked pointedly. "Or hands trailed to indecent places?"

There was a small silence into which Constantina spluttered incoherently. "Look at her face," Electra crowed triumphantly while Spencer and Lily burst into giggles. "That _has_ happened, hasn't it?" Electra threw herself down on the cushions once more with a dramatic sigh. "Who would have thought it?"

"Well, can you blame me?" Constantina asked defiantly. "He has this whole dignified air about him most of the time but sometimes I'll catch him looking at me with this _look._"

"What look?" Lily asked, thinking she had seen it radiating out of the most respectable marauder on numerous occasions.

"Like he sort of wants to―"

"Ravish you?" Electra supplied.

"Well, yes," Constantina said, burying her face in her hands before looking helplessly at her friends. "It's absolutely _feral_."

The girls burst into another chorus of shrieking laughter which just served to hide the muffled sounds of the James and Sirius' own laughter out in the corridor.

Electra let out another loud sigh. "Honestly, I never thought I'd see the day the two bookworms would be getting more action than I am." She shook her head despairingly.

"It's not as if you couldn't get any action if you really wanted it," Lily snorted. "According to Spencer, Black would be very happy to help you remedy that situation."

Sirius stilled suddenly in the corridor while Remus shot him a self-righteous look.

"Like I didn't know _that_ already," Electra retorted. "It's not as if he makes it out to be a huge secret."

Lily shook her head where she lay, her hair swishing over the floor. "What _I_ don't understand is why _you_ insist on keeping it a huge secret from _him_ that you like him back."

"I don't know," Electra moaned piteously. "It's not like I haven't thought about just hauling him off somewhere. I mean, every time I say no, he gives me these wounded puppy dog eyes which are practically irresistible."

Spencer nodded commiseratingly. Out in the hallway, the boys could no longer successfully contain their laughter, leaving them no choice but to stumble through the portrait hole, acting like they had just returned from the kitchens.

"Are you alright, Sirius?" Spencer asked, as James handed her the ice cream. She thanked him quickly while Sirius, still unable to control his mirth, shoved Remus and James up the stairs into the boys' dormitory.

"What was up with them?" Lily wondered aloud.

The girls shrugged off this odd behavior, and changed the topic of conversation, never even suspecting that they had been overheard.

- - -

Up in the boys' dorm, Sirius collapsed on his bed, still laughing uproariously. James however, merely rolled his eyes.

He wished that Sirius could have kept his fat mouth shut, despite the hilarity of the situation. James had desperately wanted to see whether he would have come up over the course of the conversation.

He knew Lily wouldn't tell her friends about him being an animagus, just like she'd kept her promise to Remus not to let anyone know he was a werewolf. But was it so wrong to want just the _tiniest_ inclination that her feelings towards him had at least entered the realm of friendship, which would ease a bloke's insecurity?

Sirius, who seemed to have cottoned on to James' rather subdued attitude, rolled over onto his side.

"Why so glum, Prongs?" he teased. "Were you hoping Evans was going to comment on the size of your antlers?"

Remus shook his head in grudging amusement at Sirius' innuendo but was surprised when James just climbed into his four-poster with a smug grin on his face.

"I would hope that she wasn't _only_ thinking about my antlers."

"What are you talking about, James?" Remus asked, his brow furrowing.

"Well…she rode me," James stated simply, closing the curtains around his bed with a snap.

* * *

A/N: Review or we'll take all of the grease from Snape's hair and lather you in it! 


	5. Somwhere a Clock is Ticking

A/N: Here's another chapter, hot off the editorial press. This chapter was written almost solely by Debbie and we're all rather proud of her. It introduces one of our juicy plot lines which we've been dying to start since we first came up with this idea. Hope you enjoy it! Don't forget to review!

* * *

**Points in the Right Direction  
****Chapter 5:  
****Somewhere A Clock is Ticking**

The Hogwarts library was full to bursting and Spencer, who was already agitated with her Potions essay, couldn't understand why every student in Hogwarts seemed to be jammed into its library. She had been sitting in her seat for three hours and had only got half a foot of parchment written about the importance of the ingredients of Veritaserum, and she was near tears, but her frustration at her essay didn't compare to the noise of the library. _What is this? People are trying to study but no one can get any work done!_ But it felt as though even her thoughts were being drowned out by the noise being created by the hoards of students threatening to bring down the roof of the library.

With at least half of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry crammed in between the towering shelves, Lily Evans didn't even notice one of her best friends seated near the back of the room as she sprinted to what appeared to be the only available seat at a table a few yards away. She plopped herself down in the chair, unceremoniously dropping her bag on the floor with a loud _thud_. That loud of a noise usually would've caused irritated staring and some angry shushing but today, in Lily's mind, a rampaging hippogriff could've come through the maze of tables and stacks of various volumes, and no one would've been the wiser.

Spencer had not seen her friend come in as she was too enveloped in her essay, but her patience was wearing thin. If the two fourth years sitting next to her didn't stop flirting and start doing whatever it was they were supposed to be doing, she was going to lose it. She set her quill down on her essay with a little more force than was necessary and was rubbing her eyes with the palms of her hands when she saw a shadowy figure moving about the stacks of books to her right. She knew that form well, the way it moved, and walked. She knew it almost _too_ well.

"What do you want, Siri?" she heard herself call before she could stop herself.

"_Siri_? I can't believe he lets you call him that ridiculous name," spat a deep voice. Spencer was taken aback; that voice was much deeper than that of Sirius, but it still held that distinct ring only Sirius' voice would hold. And as the boy emerged from behind the shelf Spencer realized why.

"Regalus?" she asked rhetorically. She knew it was him. How could you not?

He was almost as tall as Sirius, and walked with the same swagger as his brother. His sharp features were not as chiseled as Sirius' but his chin had a much stronger set. His eyes, which held no mischievous twinkle, were darker, practically as black as his name. His hair was all Regalus though; it was cut short and kept in place, not like Sirius' rogue locks which hung past his ears in an almost alarming fashion.

"Yes?" his voice surprisingly held no rudeness, just questioning.

"I just… I just thought…" Spencer started to stutter at the younger boy.

"I was Sirius?" he asked, raising an eyebrow at her.

"Well, yeah," she said, her voice flat.

"I'd be hurt if I didn't get that disappointed face from my mother everyday of my life," he said walking up to her table, and sitting down in the seat across from her.

He took out his parchment, books, quill, and ink pot, and began his homework. Spencer didn't move; she feared if she made any sudden movement it would startle him. He may have been one of her best friend's brothers but truth be told she had never spoken a word to the boy in front of her.

He and Sirius were a year and a half apart, he had been placed in Slytherin House, and the Black parents seemed to favor him above Sirius, but beyond that meager amount of information Spencer didn't know the boy at all. Finding herself a mere two feet in front of him made her incredibly nervous.

_Oh no, oh no, oh no, this can not be happening! Not here! Not now! _She thought to herself as she felt the familiar tightening in her chest. Yet it didn't matter what she did to calm herself down, her anxiety was getting the better of her. She began rocking back and forth in her seat, and her breathing was coming in short gasping breaths.

"Can I help you with something?" Regalus asked, annoyed by this interruption. He looked up at her for the first time since sitting down. Spencer just shook her head, closed her eyes, and inclined her head towards her lap.

"Are you sure?" he asked, his face was contorted with a cross between nervousness, confusion, and annoyance.

"Mmhmm," Spencer couldn't open her mouth; she didn't trust herself to speak. She thought she could begin crying in panic and humiliation, and that was the last thing she needed.

"Alright, then," Regalus said shaking his head and looking back down at his parchment. But he didn't continue scribbling his essay. He closed his eyes hard once, then looked back up at Spencer.

"Are you sure you're okay? You're kind of freaking me out," he said, beginning to gather his things. Spencer just nodded her head vigorously, and grasped the edge of the table with her hands; her knuckles began to turn white.

"Anxiety attack," she managed to gasp out.

"Oh, so it's _you_," Regalus almost chuckled. "So you're his friend that freaks out when she's uncomfortable or frustrated. Your name's Spencer, right?"

She nodded her head vigorously again.

"Why are you having an attack now?" he asked, his voice filled with uncertainty.

Spencer just looked up at him, her eyes wide. "Cake," she croaked.

"Cake? What the bloody hell does _cake_ have to do with anything?" he asked; this girl didn't make any sense to him.

"Need CAKE," her voice cracked. She was shaking violently now as silent tears streamed unchecked down her face.

"Okay, okay! Hold on," Regalus cried defensively as he jumped out of his seat, holding his hands up in surrender. He shoved his hand into his bag and roughly pulled out a chocolate frog.

"HERE, here, take this," he said hastily unwrapping it and shoving it into her hands. She ate it ferociously. Regalus was surprised people weren't rushing around them doing… _something_. Then he realized he could be standing on the table, singing a ridiculous child's song in a purple dress, and no one would have noticed.

"Are you okay?" he asked skeptically, his face looking as though he had just swallowed something particularly sour.

"I… I think so," Spencer said slowly, her eyes shut. She took deep, practiced breaths. Calm was returning quickly, but she would probably want to make a stop by the kitchens later, just in case.

"Alright, well I'm just gonna go," Regulus said, scrambling to stuff his books and his parchment in his bag. He had come to the library to get some work done, not take care of one of his estranged brother's friends during a temper tantrum. This entire ordeal had made him extremely uncomfortable, and he wasn't quite sure how to deal with it.

"No, don't go," Spencer said before she could stop herself. _What is wrong with me today?_ She mentally kicked herself.

"Excuse me?" he asked, his voice rising, "I'll do what I want, thank you very much."

"Sorry," Spencer's voice full of sarcasm, she had meant to be nice, not be patronized, "I just meant it was my fault the awkward moment happened, so I figured I'd be the one to leave. But if being kind is too much for Master Regalus today, I'll let _you_ leave."

"Excuse me, but I thought _**I **_was the one who gave you chocolate to calm you down?" he asked, his voice rising again.

"You were, weren't you? Fancy that. A good deed from a Slytherin. I'll be damned," Spencer mocked, standing up and slinging her own bag over her shoulder. She couldn't stand this tension right now so soon after an attack.

"I'd watch it if I were you, you don't want the wrong people hearing you say that," he said. His voice was steady but his right arm twitched to his left automatically.

"What's that supposed to mean?" she asked defiantly.

"Nothing, alright?"

"No, it's not alright. I was trying to be nice by saying you could stay and I'll leave and you jumped down my throat," Spencer said indignantly, turning to leave.

Regulus it seemed was not about to let her and Spencer wondered why the entire library was _still_ completely oblivious to the fight unfolding in their midst.

"I didn't mean to jump down your throat," Regalus said, slamming his bag on the table again.

"_Fine_" Spencer snarled, slamming her bag down too. "We'll both stay." She sat down forcefully.

"Fine!" he shot back. They sat in silence staring back and forth, before Spencer broke the silence.

"That had to be the most unproductive argument I've ever had," she half-laughed.

"I've had move unproductive," he said, shaking his head. Spencer could not help but notice the half-smile which was tugging at the corner of his lips as he began pulling his books out of his bag again.

"Thanks," Spencer said meekly, unrolling her parchment once more, "for the chocolate."

"Don't mention it," Regalus said, who had already gotten back to his essay. Spencer opened to her mouth to stammer a reply when he cut her off.

"I'm serious. Don't mention it, I don't need people knowing I helped a…"

"A blood traitor?" she asked arching an eyebrow.

"I was going to say Gryffindor," Regalus said coldly.

"Oh," she said quietly picking up her quill. Spencer attempted to focus her attention back on her essay, but she could not prevent herself from glancing up now and again to look with interest at the enigma of a boy sitting across from her.

- - -

James Potter didn't go to the library. It was too quiet for his liking. How could someone _work_ in the deafening silence? He needed noise; loud music, talking friends, flirting girls…anything but cold, austere silence. So why he was heading to the library to finish his potions essay, he wasn't quite sure.

He and Sirius had returned from Quidditch practice at quarter to nine to find the common room deserted, Sirius said he was going to go find Peter to play a game of chess, but James felt he should at least start his Potions essay before midnight considering it was due first thing the next morning. So, he went up into the boy's dorm, grabbed his bag quickly, and made his way to the library. He wasn't sure he had ever _really _been there before and he couldn't quite figure out how his feet found it for him.

What he found upon his arrival however, was a pleasant surprise. The library was… _loud_ and upbeat. It seemed more like a party than a study session. He scanned the room quickly for anyone he knew and his sharp seeker eyes quickly detected a head of bright auburn hair.

James made a beeline towards the table where the aforementioned red beacon of hair was working diligently.

"Hey Lily," he said as he approached her table.

"Oh, hi James!" she said. She sounded startled by his presence.

"Did I surprise you?" he asked.

"Well, a little," she flushed, as though embarrassed. "I guess I must have zoned out there for a little while."

"Essay's that interesting, eh?" he asked, laughing slightly at the adorable face she made.

"No, it's just so bloody _loud_ in here," she said gesturing wildly to the room with her arms.

"Language, Evans," James chided her.

"Shut it, Potter," Lily snapped back. "How can anyone actually get any work done in this kind of environment? It's impossible!"

James chuckled as she blew a lock of hair out of her face.

"I actually find this type of atmosphere appealing, Evans," James said looking down into her bright green eyes.

"_How_?" she questioned fiercely, her copper tresses dancing around her shoulders, "It's absolutely _crazy_ in here! How can you concentrate?"

"That's the beauty of it," James said, "You're so distracted, it forces you to focus on what you're doing even more."

"That's absolutely mad," Lily said, shaking her head at him as she attempted to continue her essay.

"What are you working on anyway?" James asked, walking behind her. He placed his hands on the back of her chair and peered over her shoulder at her rather lengthy parchment roll.

"That blasted Potions essay," Lily sighed, slamming her quill down again.

"That bad, huh?" James asked as he stood up to his full height again.

"Bloody awful. Eighteen inches on the importance of the ingredients of the Veritaserum. It's absolute torture," she groaned, hitting her head on the table for emphasis.

"So, the _Head_ Girl isn't too happy?" James said, proud of his pun. Lily just stared at him.

"Ha ha, not funny, Potter. I'm not in the mood right now," she said glaring at him. James grinned as he thought about what Sirius would've said to that.

"Well, are you in the mood to help out a poor fellow student?" James asked, putting on his most charming smile.

"How far are you?" Lily asked, looking up at him.

"How far I am right _now_ doesn't compare to how far I _will_ get with your brilliant help," he said in his most flattering voice.

"Oh, Merlin, Potter, you haven't even started, have you?" she cried incredulously.

"Would you like me to lie or tell the truth?" he asked, raising his eyebrows.

"Truth. The truth is always best, no matter if it'll kill me," she said as she rested her face in her hands.

"Nope, haven't even looked at the pages we were supposed to read for _last _class," James said seriously, delighting in her outraged expression.

"JAMES! YOU HAVEN'T EVEN DONE THE HOMEWORK FOR LAST CLASS?" she scolded him, slapping him on the shoulder, "YOU CAN'T EVEN HOPE TO GET THIS HOMEWORK STARTED WITHOUT DOING THAT READING!"

"_Relax_, Lily," James said holding his arms up in mock surrender, "I'm kidding. I did the reading. I just need to collect all my ideas, finish some research, and just force myself to sit and actually write it."

"Don't _do_ that to me, James," she said settling back into her seat, rubbing her face with her hands. "I think Spencer's rubbing off on me. I freak out all the time now."

"Ah, well, maybe you'll get more cake," James said.

"Ah, cake," Lily whispered. An awkward silence fell upon them.

"So, anyway…" James started.

"Yeah…"

"Where are you in the essay?" he asked.

"Honestly, I don't even remember," Lily said, letting herself laugh a little.

"Well, I know I need to double check my list of ingredients," James said.

"You'll need _Most Potente Potions_," Lily said automatically, pulling a book from her pile.

"You're a life saver," James said grabbing manically at the book.

"I do what I can," Lily joked, as James sat down in the newly vacated seat across from her. They worked in companionable silence, until James got bored.

"Where is Madam Pince, anyway?" he asked, taking his eyes off his book, and scanning the library for the rather disliked woman.

"No idea," Lily said raising her head from her essay. "I'm pretty sure she'd jump off the astronomy tower if she could hear the noise coming from her beloved library, though."

"Probably," James laughed at the mental image of their bird-like librarian trying to take flight off the astronomy tower and falling with a swift splat to the ground.

"Now there's a picture," Lily stated with a smirk. James continued to laugh with her until his stomach gave a loud rumble.

"Hungry, Potter?" Lily asked raising her eyebrows.

"A bit," he said patting his stomach, "Quidditch takes a lot out of you. And I couldn't grab anything before I came here. All my personal stores are empty."

"Well, you'll just have to stock up in Hogsmeade this weekend," Lily said matter-of-factly, turning her attention back to the troublesome assignment

_Hogsmeade_. They had finally come to the topic James had been trying to bring up for two long, agonizing weeks.

"Yeah, I will," he said looking at her, not really sure how to bring up their kind-of-sort-of date.

Lily seemed to sense his gaze on herr, as she looked up at him questioningly and asked, "Yes?"

"Well, you see, I was wondering if…" he trailed off timidly.

"Yes, James?" she asked. There was no anger. No hate. No resentment. No disgust. Just genuine questioning, a look only a friend would give. With that look James knew it'd be okay to ask his question.

"I was wondering if you remembered… what you promised if I took you down to the kitchens a couple weeks back?"

"Ah, _that_," Lily said, relinquishing her quill from her grip and leaning back in her chair with a sigh.

"Yes, _that_," James said, holding his breath. "I mean, I know you only said you'd go with me because Spencer wanted cake, and I would totally understand if you've changed your mind, but I'd really like to go with you. We could have a really good time together… as friends… just friends…"

Lily giggled slightly before quickly covering her mouth with her hand.

"Are you _laughing_ at me?" he asked.

"Yes," Lily answered frankly.

"Well, that's kind of, well… it's kind of mean," James replied, a bit hurt.

"Oh, James," she said, stifling her giggles. At the rather wounded look on his face her entire demeanor changed immediately, "It's not _that_. It's just you were rambling, quite badly, actually. It was kind of cute, really."

_DAMNNIT! _Lily thought, wincing visibly._ Did I just say that out loud?_

_Oh sweet Merlin! _James thought euphorically, as he did rather death-defying cartwheels in his brain._ Did she just say I was cute?!_

"So?"

"So, what, James?"

"Will you go with me, to Hogsmeade, as friends?"

"Yes."

This wasn't happening. He was dreaming, and in a few seconds Sirius would wake him up to tell him he had fallen asleep while writing his Potions essay. No, no, no… this was _really_ happening. He had just asked Lily Evans out, only as friends granted, but she had said YES! _She said yes, she said yes_… it was like a battle cry ringing out through his mind.

"_Brilliant_." He let out the breath he had been holding. Lily's face had a goofy grin plastered across it, and James could only imagine that his reflected it tenfold.

They sat there working on their essays occasionally glancing up, smiling at each other awkwardly, before looking quickly back down. James would occasionally ruffle his already tousled hair, and Lily, in response, would tuck a lock of hair behind her ear. James would dip his quill in his ink pot, Lily would follow suit. Lily would lean back in her chair and James would lean back in his.

This "game" continued for a solid 10 minutes until Lily pushed back her chair, tucked her chin into her chest, swung her hair forward, and pulled it into a messy ponytail.

"Okay, that's just not fair. I can't do that," James said with a smile, gesturing at his wild locks.

"That's the point, Potter," Lily smiled back sweetly, and then resumed her essay, a few stray pieces of hair falling into her face.

James was about to retort when Sirius strode up to their table, plopped his bag down on the floor, and said, "I can't find Peter anywhere."

"Hello to you, too," James said, looking up at his friend.

"Yeah, hi, whatever," Sirius rushed out, "This is starting to bother me. We haven't spoken for more than five minutes with Pete about something not school related in the past two weeks. Where the hell is he getting off to these days?"

"Who knows," James said, ruffling his hair again. "Just leave it be, Sirius. Let him have his space. He'll come back to us when he's ready." Lily's head shot up quickly at these words.

"That was incredibly insightful, James," Lily said, staring at him in utter disbelief.

"Creepy, I know. But I do actually have real thoughts sometimes," James gave himself a mental high-five when Lily laughed slightly.

Sirius, having no where to sit, pulled out his parchment, quill, and ink pot, and turned to James.

"Jamesie…" he cooed to his best friend.

"_No_, Sirius," James said shortly has he continued to scribble his essay quickly.

"You don't even know what I was going to ask you," Sirius said in mock indignation, throwing his hands on his waist in a very accurate impersonation of James' mother.

"I don't care, Padfoot," James returned, not even bothering to glance up at his friend.

"That hurts, _Pudding_," Sirius said, his voice now reaching higher tones, as he sniffled.

"Not that bloody nickname again," James said stopping writing abruptly, and banging his head hard against his essay. Sirius had just called him _Pudding _in front of the girl he fancied like mad and just when things were going swimmingly, too.

"I thought you liked it," Sirius sniffled once again.

"Oh for the love of Merlin!" Lily cried, throwing her hands in the air, "Will you just let him ask his blasted question so I can get back to writing my essay in peace, instead of listening to you two girls bickering about absolutely nothing!"

Her eyes were blazing and her hair was falling out of her pony tail quickly. James couldn't remember a time when she looked so beautiful.

"What do you want Sirius?" James asked, not able to tear his eyes off of Lily's fierce expression.

"I was just wondering if you'd pass me your Potions book," Sirius stated simply.

"_Seriously_, Sirius?" Lily hollered, "We went through _all of that _for a bloody book!" She thumped herself hard in the face with _Most Potente Potions._

"Well, if Jamesie wouldn't have protested so much, we never would've had to go through that mindless dialogue," Sirius smirked at her before his expression changed quickly to one of confusion. "Did you just make a serious-Sirius joke?"

"Yes, Black, I just unintentionally made a serious-Sirius joke. I'm sure you'll get over it," Lily glared at him, her patience was growing thin.

"Calm yourself, Lily Flower," Sirius said putting his hand soothingly on her shoulder. Lily immediately retracted herself from his grip, her eyes flashing mutinously.

"_Do not_ call me that name," she seethed, her voice was barely a whisper but it cut through the stuffy air of the library like a knife.

"Woah. Sorry, Lily," Sirius said quickly.

"It's okay, you didn't know," Lily said quickly, breathing a bit heavily. "I didn't mean to snap like that. It's just… that name… it's a… sore spot, that's all."

A slightly strained silence fell among the threesome.

"I'm going to go find another book," Lily said, not looking at the boys as she hastily shuffled out of her seat, and disappeared behind a tall shelf of dusty tomes. Sirius sat down in her vacated seat and let out a huff of air.

"Not Lily Flower, most definitely," he said looking wide eyed at James, "More like a Tiger Lily."

"Yeah," James said his voice tinged with awe, as he glanced up into his friends eyes from his essay. It was one of the first times he had ever seen the significant force of Lily's anger directed at someone other than himself. He realized he'd never truly appreciated it before.

"So this essay…" Sirius began.

"You're never going to finish it," James said bluntly.

"That's what I thought," Sirius huffed, defeated. "Mind as well make an effort, eh?"

"Yeah, I guess," James shrugged, taking his glasses from his face, and rubbing his eyes determinedly. He replaced his lenses and leaned back in his seat, put his hands behind his head, and smiled widely. Sirius was frantically trying to find obscure facts and put them in a logical order to fake an almost-essay.

Sirius was just looking up the ingredient that turned Veritaserum clear when he glanced up at James.

"What are you all giddy about?" he asked a bit disgruntled by his friend's nerve to look so pleased with himself, when his best mate was scrambling to make-up an essay out of thin air.

"She said yes," James said, not being able to hide the joy in his voice.

"Who said yes to what?" Sirius asked, thoroughly confused, running both of his hands through his long hair.

"Lily said yes to going to Hogsmeade with me," James said, he was practically jumping up and down in seat at this point.

"Bloody hell!" Sirius hollered, tossing his arms in the air, "That's great mate!" He said as he leaned across the table to clap James on the back.

"I know," James said, his smile growing even wider, if possible.

"Maybe that means Electra will go with me,' Sirius said, hope filling his dark grey eyes.

"I wouldn't hold my breath, mate," James said chuckling at his friend.

"Thanks, _mate_, I really appreciate the support. It means a lot to me to know you're there for me," Sirius said sarcastically, his eyes darkening.

"I didn't mean it like that, Padfoot," James said shaking his head vigorously. "I was just trying to point out that you may have miscalculated."

"Miscalculated what?" Sirius asked, "You'll be with Lily. Remus'll be with Constantina. Peter's missing in action. That leaves me and the lovely Electra."

"And Spencer's just going to evaporate into thin air tomorrow night?" James asked cocking an eyebrow.

"Shit," Sirius breathed heavily. Spencer was one of his best friends, and he loved her dearly, but it was highly likely that she and Electra would go off together as Lily had promised to accompany the marauders.

"Sorry, mate," James said shaking his head at his friend, and then returning to his essay.

"It was good while it lasted, you know, the hope that maybe she'd stop pretending to hate me for a day," Sirius said quietly looking down at his parchment. James didn't know what to do. This was such un-Sirius like behavior; showing emotion in public. James was baffled.

"She'll come around soon, mate," James said patting him consolingly on the shoulder, "Look at me and Lily… she's actually going out with me…"

"Uh, Prongs, I don't see seven years from now as soon," Sirius said, shaking his head, "More like a lifetime from now… we'll be twenty four!"

"Wow… twenty four," James said laughing quietly. "We'll probably have kids by then."

"Probably not," Sirius laughed, "can you imagine _us_ being responsible for another person's life?"

"Well, if it's _your_ kid, Padfoot, I think you'd be pretty damn responsible," James pointed out.

"Ah well, that's forever from now, no worries about it now," Sirius said quickly, shifting uncomfortably in his seat.

"Yeah," James concurred, and the twosome got back to their essays. That didn't last too long though, as Sirius got bored, and James began to wonder where Lily had gone.

"Where has she gotten off to?" James asked, craning his neck around, and searching the library for the telltale flash of auburn hair.

"Who knows," Sirius said dismissively as he spotted a group of 5th years who were staring at him and giggling madly. James looked over at his friend who was now leaning back in his seat coolly, running a large hand through his long hair, and flashing the girls a lop-sided grin.

"You dog," James crowed, laughing so hard at his friend that his glasses almost slid of the bridge of his nose.

"If the shoe fits," Sirius said, shrugging his shoulders, and throwing his hands in the air in a show of acceptance.

"Let me guess, neither of you worked on your essays while I was gone," Lily said loudly as she approached the table from behind the large shelf of books she had disappeared behind, carrying another pile in her arms.

"There you are!" James said jumping out of his seat in surprise.

"What's got you all jumpy?" Lily asked as she dumped her pile of books onto the table, scattering them among the already present books, quills, ink pots, essays, and scraps of parchment.

"I was just wondering where you had gotten off to, that's all," James said hurriedly, rubbing the back of his neck. He looked down, trying to hide his blush, "You were gone for a while you know."

"Oh yes, ten minutes was such a long time! What did you do without me for the eons in which I was lost within the maze of dust and moldy parchment," Lily mocked throwing her hand against her forehead dramatically.

"I was just wondering where you were," James said quietly, his blush deepening, as he pretended to look up a fact in the book closest to him.

"Uh huh, sure," she said sounding as though she didn't believe him at all, but let it slide.

"So, Black, what do you propose we do about this predicament we find ourselves in?" Lily said changing her focus, and rounding on Sirius, putting her hands on her hips.

"What predicament is that, Tiger Lily?" Sirius said, raising his eyebrows, but not looking up from his essay which he had grudgingly returned to.

"Tiger Lily?" she asked, failing miserably at hiding the smile creeping across her face.

"Yes, Tiger Lily. You chewed me out pretty bad there a few minutes ago," Sirius said, gesturing with his hands, still not looking at her, "Therefore, Tiger Lily."

"I like it," Lily laughed.

"Well, my purpose in life is fulfilled. I have made Lily Evans laugh," Sirius said, bowing in his seat.

"Still, Sirius, what are we going to do about this little problem?" Lily asked, hands back on hips.

"I see no problem," Sirius said, raising his head and making a show of staring around the library.

"No problem? You're sitting in my seat," Lily said accusingly, pointing a finger him.

"Ah _that_," Sirius said, grinning impishly up at her. "In the words of my five year old self, 'move your feet, lose your seat'."

"Seriously, Black," Lily said, her voice rising a bit, though she smiled.

"No, just Sirius Black," Sirius returned. It was quite obvious to James that Sirius was enjoying this exchange imensely.

"This is not funny. Honestly, what do you want me to do?" Lily asked, throwing her hands into the air, "I can't just sit in your lap."

Both boys' heads popped up from their essays. James had been trying very hard to pretend as if he wasn't paying attention to their bickering, but the idea of Lily sitting in Sirius' lap made him look up before he could even stop himself. A mischievous grin had spread across Sirius' face and he looked up at Lily with that twinkle in his eyes that told James he had a plan, which was never a good thing.

"And why not?" Sirius asked.

"Why not? Are you really that stupid, Black?" Lily asked, shaking her head at him.

"No, I sincerely see no problem with you sitting in my lap," Sirius said. Before Lily could even protest he had hooked his hand around her waist and pulled her into his lap. She was sitting sideways, so that the table where she had been previously working was against her right hip, and Sirius was against her left hip, and his left arm was wrapped around her mid-section.

"Have you lost your marbles, Black?" Lily asked, her voice steady, but deadly.

"Nope, never had 'em to begin with," Sirius said brightly, taking his quill up with his right hand and going back to his essay.

"Let me go, Black," Lily demanded, her voice still the same deadly pitch.

"Alright, Evans, listen," Sirius said, letting go of his quill and talking to her as though _she_ was the one who had interrupted _him_. "If I let you go, you stand up, and have no where to sit. You have to work on your essay standing, because I'm not moving. Now James, I'm sure, would move, but we both know you'd feel bad for making him. Or, you could stay where you are, keep your mouth shut, and work on your essay. Either way, I'm not going anywhere," Sirius said into her hair, as she refused to look at him.

She considered her options; she could stand up, and just continue with her essay on her feet or on the ground, she could make James move, but Sirius was right, she'd feel bad for making him move, or she could just stay put. But then another thought occurred to her. _No, I can't do that… that's too… I CAN'T! What other options do I have that work?_

"Let me go, Black," she said, her voice now shaky and high pitched, James looked back at his essay, a feeling a relief washing over him.

"Whatever you say, Evans," Sirius said, a bit crestfallen that she hadn't played along. She got up swiftly from his lap. Rounded the table, stood stock still, hands on hips, closed her eyes hard, and bit her bottom lip. _I can not __**really**__ be doing this…_

"James…"

"Yeah?" his head shot up faster than a Filibuster Firework.

"Budge over," Lily said, nodding her at him.

"You're kidding!" he said smiling broadly.

"No, I'm not," her eyes were closed tightly again.

"There's only enough room on this chair for one person," James said gesticulating to the chair in which he was sitting, "Unless…"

Lily blushed scarlet. James ears turned pink as did his cheeks. Sirius just started to laugh. Lily couldn't bring herself to look at either boy, so she looked around the library wildly. Something she hadn't seen before caught her eye.

"_Spencer_?" she asked loudly.

"Spencer?" James asked. _What did she have to do with anything?_

"Over there," Lily said, pointing towards the table where Spencer was working.

"Yeah, it is Spencer," James said, looking over at the table Spencer was at. His blush was dying down slightly, but his heart was still racing. Spencer looked up from her essay and said something to the person across from her and let out an airy laugh. She shook her long brown hair in disbelief before returning to whatever she was working on.

"Hey… who is that she's talking to?" James said, staring at the back of the head of the boy Spencer was currently chatting with.

"I have no idea. He looks familiar, though," Lily said, scrunching up her eyes to get a better look at the boy.

"I know… Is that… Merlin's beard! Sirius, is that your brother?" James said, his eyes widening at the revelation of who the mystery student was. Sirius' head whipped around quickly to look at the table Lily and James were scrutinizing. His face paled considerably as the sight that met his eyes came into focus.

"What the fu…" Sirius trailed off as he scrambled out of his seat and thundered across the library.

"Sirius, _don't_…" James began as he watched his friend get out of his seat and storm away, "do anything stupid," he finished lamely.

"Too late," Lily shuddered, watching horrorstruck as Sirius confronted his brother and friend.

"What the _hell_ is this?" Sirius thundered as he came upon the pair, both of whom were quietly working.

"Hey Sirius!" Spencer said brightly not registering what he had said.

"What-the-**hell**-is-this?" Sirius asked again through gritted teeth.

"What does it look like, Sirius?" Regalus asked condescendingly, laying his quill down gently and raising an eyebrow at his sibling.

"I don't know, Regalus," Sirius spat out his brother's name as though it were poison.

"We're just studying, Sirius," Spencer said quietly, just now beginning to understand what she had gotten in the middle of.

"_And_?" Sirius hollered, his tone accusing. He glared accusingly at Spencer as he leaned over the table, clutching the edge of it in a vice-like grip.

"Conversing?" Regalus supplied haughtily.

"Don't play with me, Regalus," Sirius warned, his focus shifting back onto his brother.

"I wouldn't dare," Regalus said mordantly, beginning to clear up his things.

"Then what _are_ you doing?" Sirius asked angrily.

"Leaving," Regalus said shortly, keeping his composure.

"Good," Sirius said. _Good? Wow… great comeback Sirius…_

"_Good_?" Regalus gloated, "You're losing your touch there, big brother."

"Don't call me that," Sirius said through gritted teeth, glaring at Regalus.

"What? You don't like being called 'big brother', big brother?" Regalus asked nastily as he slung his bag over his shoulder.

"You're no brother of mine," Sirius stated darkly. Regalus walked right up to Sirius and looked him dead in the eye.

"Blood's blood, Sir… and that's going to stick with you a lot longer than any of your… _friends_," Regalus said, a smirk playing across his lips as he glanced at Spencer.

"Don't look at her," Sirius said roughly, grabbing the front of Regulus' robes.

"Sorry, didn't know it was against the law, Almighty Sirius," Regalus said, stepping out from Sirius' clutches, bowing scornfully like a house-elf.

"Get out of here," Sirius spat in disgust.

"Your wish is my command," Regalus said, bowing once again. He glanced at Spencer and her eyes widened as something like remorse flashed across his dark irises. "I'm sorry my brother's too blind to see what's right in front of him," Regulus said coldly, sweeping out of the library.

Sirius stood still for a moment, clenching and unclenching his fists, glaring at the spot his brother had just vacated.

"Siri, he just sat down, I didn't know what to do… I just…" Spencer began.

"Save it, Spence," Sirius cut her off, throwing an arm haphazardly in her direction to quiet her. He started to walk away.

"Sirius, don't," Spencer began again.

"Don't _what_?" Sirius rounded on her, eyes blazing.

"Walk away," Spencer was getting upset as well, "I did nothing wrong!"

"You were talking to my… to _him_," Sirius seethed, pointing out the library door.

"It just happened!" Spencer cried, becoming hysterical, "I was sitting there, doing my work. And then I saw him, and I thought her was you, so I asked, 'what do you want, Siri?' and he sat down, and we just talked. But barely!" She finished abruptly, feeling her chest constrict once more. Her breath hitched dangerously as she looked quickly down at her shoes.

Sirius stared at her. She was breathing heavy, and she was close to tears. If there was one thing in this world Spencer Bensur couldn't stand it was having someone be mad at her for no good reason, especially Sirius.

"Fine," Sirius breathed after a long stretch of silence. Spencer looked up from her shoes and met his eyes. "It's fine, Spence."

She gave him another knowing look.

"Really, Spence, it's okay. You didn't know it'd upset me… Just don't do it again," Sirius said exhaustedly.

"Okay," Spencer said nodding her head, taking his hand in her own, and giving it a squeeze. They parted and Spencer went back to her table, gathered her things quietly, and exited the library, tears slipping silently down her cheeks.

Sirius walked back to James and Lily who were openly staring at him, their mouths agape.

"Don't say anything," Sirius said warningly as he walked to his seat and tossed his books violently into his bag. With a frustrated growl, Sirius followed in Spencer's wake.

* * *

A/N: Press the little purple button. Write a short message. It's not Arithmancy here people, it's easier than Divination! 


	6. An Attempt to Tip the Scales

A/N: Hola mis amigos! Well, here we are, another chapter. We like to think of this as the transition before the proverbial s― err feces hit the fan (more like a windmill in this story). Sorry for the length between updates, but school has started once again and Debbie (who finally signed up and got a penname ToofdapBushWarriorGoddess) was being beaten up by her employer. We will try to give you chapters as soon as possible but we're making no guaranties as to when the next one will be out.

* * *

**Points in the Right Direction  
****Chapter 6:  
An Attempt to Tip the Scales**

"Please," Lily begged throwing her arms around Electra's waist as she knelt in front of her. "_Please_ don't make me go alone!" she groveled.

"Not a chance in hell," Electra said determinedly staring over her friends head, her arms crossed.

"But, Electra, you're my best friend! And what do best friends do for each other?" Lily cried as she clutched at the front of her friend's white oxford.

"Not this," Electra said, her dark eyes flashing down at Lily, trying hard to conceal her smile.

"Electra! Pretty please! I'll do anything! I can't go alone!" Lily cried again. To tell the truth, despite all of the courage she was supposedly carrying around inside her Gryffindor heart left her at the mere thought of going to Hogsmeade, surrounded by the marauders and no back up.

"Lily, do you know who hangs out with James Potter?" Electra asked, glaring down at her friend.

"Yes," Lily replied shakily.

"You have to be out of your ever-loving mind if you think I'm going to spend a day with **that** boy," Electra seethed, as she bent so she could stare directly into Lily's wide emerald gaze.

"But, Electra," Lily began.

"And plus I refuse to spend my day under the cloud of sexual tension that you and James Potter have," Electra said, tearing herself out of Lily's surprisingly strong grasp.

"Cloud of what?" Lily asked, getting off of her knees, as Electra plopped down onto her bed.

"Ok, you grew up muggle born right? So you've seen those muggle cartoons where someone is having a bad day and a rain cloud follows them around wherever they go?" Electra asked as she lay down on her back, her legs hanging haphazardly off the edge of her bed.

"Yes," Lily nodded.

"Well, that's what you and Potter have," Electra laughed. "Except, instead of rain and lightening coming out of it, it just oozes hormones."

"WE DO NOT!" Lily cried as she grabbed a pillow and threw it at her friend.

"Ow!" Electra cried through her giggles, "Yes, yes you do. It's so awkward."

"Well, why are you worried about _my_ cloud, when you have your own to worry about?" Lily asked, cocking an eyebrow as she too, sprawled herself on her bed.

"What are you talking about?" Electra asked, shooting up into a sitting position.

"You and another certain marauder," Lily jested.

"No, no, no…"Electra said fervently, her arms waving wildly.

"Oh, come on," Lily cried. "If James and I have a 'sexual tension cloud,' then you and Black have a sexual tension tornado."

"No, we do not!" Electra cried indignantly.

"Stop pretending you hate the guy and actually admit you have a thing for him. Life will be so much easier for everyone involved," Lily said.

"Look at the pot calling the kettle black," Electra retorted.

"Don't even go there," Lily shot back.

"Whatever you say, Lils," Electra groaned, lying down once again, her black hair sprawling across the crimson blanket with a soft sigh.

"So will you go?" Lily asked hopefully.

"How do I put this gently?" Electra asked mockingly, "Oh that's right: there is no way I will ever willingly spend any of my time with that detestable boy!"

" 'Lectra!" Lily pleaded, giving Electra the most pitiable expression she could manage.

"No, no, no, no, no, no," Electra cried quickly, "and NO!"

"AHHHH!" Lily screamed into her pillow, "This is not happening! I can't do this! I cannot go to Hogsmeade by myself with James Potter!"

Less than a minute later, Spencer strolled into the dorm room to find a distressed-looking Lily with her face buried in her pillow, her hair sprawled across her sheets, and her uniform very ruffled, screaming into her pillow about 'Lames Fotter' and 'Dogs feed', while Electra was oddly situated on her bed. Her legs were crossed against her head board pointing toward the ceiling, her bottom resting right in the crevice where headboard and mattress meet, and her arms held up in the air holding her book an arms length away, reading.

"What is she on about?" Spencer asked Electra as she crossed the room to her own bed, loosening her tie, and taking off her shoes.

"She agreed to go to Hogsmeade with James if he took her to the kitchens that one night to get you cake, and now that the moment's come for her to stick to her word, and she wants us to tag along," Electra said flatly. She did not even bother to look away from her book as she explained.

"Oh," Spencer said as she let her long hair fall out the pony tail she had had it in all day and looked at her distraught red-headed friend.

"Lils? Hey Lily?" she called as she sat down on her bed and started to unbutton her oxford.

"LILY!" she hollered as Lily didn't seem to hear her from within the depths of her feather pillow.

"What, Spencer?" Lily asked, a little too defensively.

"I'll go with you tomorrow," Spencer said, shutting her eyes hard. Spencer knew that she was going to regret this decision but her kind nature wouldn't let her leave her friend in her time of need.

"WHAT?!" cried both Lily and Electra from their beds. Electra dropped her book on her bed with a loud _thud,_ and scrambled out of her awkward position to perch herself on the edge of her bed, while Lily crawled quickly out of her bed and ran to her friends bed and sat down next to her.

"I'll go with you to Hogsmeade," Spencer said, but the end of her sentenced was muffled by Lily as she flung her arms around Spencer's neck and sent the girl flying onto her back in a fierce hug.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you," Lily cried out as she let her friend go.

"Anytime," Spencer said shrugging her shoulders, as she stood up, took off her oxford, pulled a t-shirt on over her undershirt, took off her skirt, and threw on a pair of jeans, "I mean its kind of my fault anyway."

"What do you mean?" Lily asked as she started to change into a pair of jeans herself.

"Well, if I wouldn't have freaked out, you wouldn't have had to go with James to the kitchen and agreed to this stupid pseudo-date with him," Spencer pointed out.

"Argh," Electra groaned, as she flung herself back onto her bed.

"What's your problem?" Spencer asked Electra, raising an eyebrow as she sat down on Lily's bed.

"Well, if you go, and Lily goes, and Constantina is off with Remus, I have to go too," Electra cried, throwing her hands into her hair and dragging her nails across her scalp.

"What's so bad about that?" Spencer asked.

"Who hangs out with James and Remus, Spencer?!" Electra asked, her voice cracking a bit.

"Ah," Spencer breathed, comprehension dawning on her face.

"Yes, Electra doesn't want to deal with her sexual tension tornado, tomorrow," Lily chided.

"Sexual tension tornado?" Spencer asked, highly confused.

"Don't ask, Spence," Electra said, sitting up and shaking her head.

"The point is little Miss 'Lectra doesn't want to spend anymore time with Sirius than she has to, and you have put her in between a rock and a hard place," Lily explained.

"He's not that bad, Electra," Spencer said

"Maybe not with you, but I can't stand him!" Electra said, now following her friend's suit and changing into a pair of jeans and a t-shirt.

"Electra, it's just because you two are so alike! You know you like him, and the sooner you accept it the better!" Lily said.

"Hey, little miss sunshine, take your own advice," Electra retorted.

"Will you two shut it?" Spencer said, flopping down on Lily's bed.

"Geez, what's gotten into you?" Lily asked, taken aback by her friend's statement.

"Electra, you like Sirius. He likes you. I know he's got a reputation, but he's a really good guy, and I know he would never cheat on you, or hurt you," Spencer said, pulling herself into a sitting position once again, then she rounded on Lily, "And you. You like James. James is in love with you. He's a really good guy. Just give him a chance!"

Electra and Lily just stared at their friend's outburst.

"Spencer…" Electra breathed.

"Sorry, it's just…" Spencer got off of Lily's bed, "You guys and Constantina have these three great guys who want to be with you, and you're just letting them go, and I don't have anyone."

"Oh, Spence," Lily said slinging her arm around her friends shoulder, "don't worry. You'll find someone, and in the meantime don't worry about it."

"And we're not taking the guys for granted," Electra said quietly as she walked over to sit on the other side of Spencer, "We're just… not ready, quite yet."

Spencer just nodded her head, and quietly made her way to her bed, and laid down, picked up her book, and began reading.

"So, we're going with Lily tomorrow?" Electra asked out loud as she walked back to her bed.

"Looks like it," Spencer said, quietly.

"Great," Electra said quietly, "Just what I need on my day off, Sirius Black in Hogsmeade."

- - -

"Let's go!" Electra groaned as she threw herself onto Lily's bed in exasperation.

"We're coming," hollered Constantina from the girl's bathroom.

"You're taking forever," Electra cried as she rubbed her palms against her eyes.

"Sorry, here we come," Lily said as she emerged from the bathroom, with her hair up in a ponytail, wearing jeans, and a green jumper.

"What took so long?" Electra asked as she pulled herself off of her friend's bed.

"Constantina needed to get her hair _just right_ for Remus," Lily said making fun of her friend.

"So he can mess it up later?" Electra asked coyly, raising her eyebrows as Constantina emerged from the girls' bathroom with her blonde locks pulled away from her face, a cascade of blonde curls made their way down to her shoulders.

"Shut it," Constantina scolded her friend, but blushed none the less. As she made her way across the room to the other two girls, Spencer came bursting through the door.

"What, in the name of Merlin, is taking you three so bloody long?" she huffed as though she had just ran three miles.

"It's these two, they have to look perfect for their men," Electra mocked her friends as she passed Spencer, and made her way through the door.

"Shut up, Electra," Constantina called as she followed her friend through the door.

"Let's get this over with," Lily said, shaking her head and following her friends down to the common room.

"Merlin help us all," Spencer whispered looking up at the ceiling, shaking her head, and making her way down the stairs to the boys.

- - -

"Do you think she changed her mind?" James asked worriedly as he stood with Sirius and Remus in the entrance hall. Peter had claimed he wasn't feeling well again, and had decided to sleep in a little. He had told his fellow marauders that he might decide to join them later but didn't feel up to it at the moment.

"Calm down, Prongs," Remus said amusedly, clapping James bracingly on the shoulder before wrapping his brightly colored Gryffindor scarf around his neck and tying it neatly. "This is Lily we're talking about here."

"Don't you think I've realized that!" James snapped, glaring at his friend. His hand subconsciously found its way to his hair.

"Moony just meant that the Tiger Lily, despite her delightful temper is not one to take her word lightly," Sirius said, looking thoroughly bored and nonchalantly handsome all at the same time. He waved casually to a group of third year girls who passed him twittering "Morning Sirius!"

This only seemed to irritate James further whose only wish at the present moment was to see Lily come gliding down the stairs and say, "Good morning James," in her lovely voice.

And then he saw her. Coming down the stairs, was Lily Evans. She had opted to wear a heavy, yet fitted muggle jacket instead of her cloak, and James was positive that no woman had ever looked more stunning in jeans and a pair of slightly worn-down trainers.

"Do you see them?" Constantina asked, unable to see from her position at the rear of the group.

"No," Electra drawled loudly, peering through the mulling crowd waiting for permission to exit the castle. "Maybe that means they skived off. We can only hope."

"Lily!" James yelped, waving his arm a little too enthusiastically, alerting them to their position. Sirius clapped his hand over his eyes and shook his head at James' ever-suave manner.

"Can I give a point to Evans for making Potter squeal like a girl?" Mark the Ravenclaw whispered audibly as he and his friend Katie made their way past the group.

"I suppose," she answered, tugging on his sleeve as he whipped a small notepad out of his cloak pocket. "But I think it's sweet that he likes her so much."

Pretending to ignore this rather loud comment, Lily stopped in front of James, twisting her mittens nervously in her hands.

"Hey," she said awkwardly, her gaze flicking up to his and then dropping once more.

"Hey," he returned, unable to wipe the goofy smile off of his face. "Thanks for coming," he said, his hand running itself through his hair of its own violation. Lily's hand shot automatically out to stop the action.

"I just might reconsider if you keep doing that all day," she smiled; her face flushing slightly as she realized her hand was still on his arm.

"Come on, we'd better go," James said, motioning to where the rest of the small band, lead by Constantina and Remus were making their way into the queue.

James could not help but stare at Lily as they stood waiting to exit into the steely glow of the late October sunshine which was doing very little to warm up the chilly day. He watched as she tugged her mittens on, her face already a little red from the wind which was blowing in from the wide-open doors.

"Did you bring a scarf?" James asked, fully prepared and incredibly eager to give her his. "It's cold out there."

"Oh, yes I did. I almost forgot," Lily said, drawing out her own Gryffindor scarf from the folds of her jacket and wrapping it around herself with a flourish. It hit James in the face and she giggled.

"I think you did that on purpose," James accused, glaring at her playfully as they follow Spencer, Sirius and Electra out the golden doors.

Lily unwrapped her scarf slightly and flicked it again so that it tickled his nose. "I think you might be right."

Sirius rolled his eyes up ahead. "Come on you love―" he was cut off abruptly as Spencer clapped her hand over his mouth and shook her head.

"Chocolate!" she chirped loudly. "Especially the Quidditch Player set from Honeydukes. They make such a satisfying sound when you bite off their heads!" she laughed airily and shoved Sirius roughly in front of her while Electra laughed cruelly.

"What the hell was that for Spen Ben?" Sirius snapped.

"Just lay off of Lily and James today, okay, Siri?" she asked desperately. "Maybe if they finally get together I won't have to hear about it as much and…" she trailed off, wrapping her arms more tightly around herself under the cloak. She had been about to say, and I won't have to feel as inadequate anymore. "Don't you want James to be happy?" she supplied instead.

Sirius looked scandalized at the very suggestion, its absurdity driving away his curiosity at Spencer's sudden shift in mood. "Of course, I want him to be happy!"

"Then shut up!" Spencer shrilled gleefully.

"Like that's possible?" Electra asked sardonically, inciting a friendly bickering match which lasted the two all the way down to the village.

"Tornado, indeed," Spencer huffed, brushing her brown hair behind her ear mournfully, unknowing that she was being watched the entire time.

"So, where do you want to go?" James asked, as he gestured to the little town, as the seven entered along the opening of the main street.

"Honeydukes!"

"Zonko's!

"The Three Broomstick's!

"I need a new quill!"

"I want some coffee!"

"Oh- kay!" James said raising his hands in front of his chest, and breathing in heavily.

"We can't do all of the stuff we all want to do all together," Sirius said.

"We have to split up," Remus agreed.

"Okay, the three of you, "Electra said, pointing to the boys, "can go do whatever it is you do, and the four of us," she pointed to herself and the other girls, "will go do what we want! Okay? Buh-bye." She started to tug on Spencer's cloak, and Lily's jacket, when James cried out in a strangled voice, "But I need a new quill too, like Lily. So we should go together. And you, Sirius, and Spencer should go to Zonko's and Honeydukes. And Moony, you and Constantina can go get coffee. And we'll all meet at The Three Broomstick's!"

"Sounds good to me," Sirius said loudly clapping his hands together, walking up to Electra and Spencer holding out his arm to both, "Ladies, if you will?"

"Siri," Spencer giggled in a slightly forced manner, but took his arm all the same. How many times had she wished that he would walk with her this way into the village? Yet, in all of Spencer's fantasies, Electra had never been included in their little outing. Electra oblivious to her friend's train of thought, looking as though she would vomit if she touched Sirius, followed suit, flinched a bit as their arms linked. The odd threesome made their way down the cobbled street, Spencer and Sirius bantering lightly, while Electra looked resolutely away from the boy to her right.

"Alright, we'll see you guys later," Remus said jovially, blushing a little as he took Constantina's hand in is own and the two made their way down a little street off the main road 'to get coffee'.

James laughed as he watched his friend walked away.

"What's so funny?" Lily asked him.

"Nothing," James said, shaking his head, "it's just it's so… good to see him like that."

"Like what?" Lily asked, as the two began to make their way down the street.

"Happy, smiling, having a good time," James said, looking Lily in the eye.

"Yeah, I know what you mean. Constantina practically glows when they're together," Lily chuckled to herself.

"He's found someone outside the three of us who he can talk to," James said, "It's just… nice."

"They really are quite cute together," Lily agreed, as the two continued to stroll leisurely down the street.

"So," James began trying to change the topic with whatever came to mind first, "Did you ever think you'd be in Hogsmeade, by yourself, with James Potter?"

"Ah, well," Lily laughed pushing a loose lock of hair behind her ear, "Honestly, I don't know."

"You don't know?" James voice squeaked. He had been expecting a resounding no, his spirits were soaring.

"If you would've asked me in September or earlier, my answer would've been no," she said, looking to her left, to her right, at the shops, at the street, anywhere but at James, "but, lately, you've been surprising me. I've been surprising me!"

James beamed. This could not get any better. They made their way to the quill shop and each bought themselves a new quill, and James had a good time looking at all the different types of ink: disappearing ink, color-changing ink, ink that told your mood, while Lily pointed out all the different types of parchment.

The two laughed and joked, and made their way to The Three Broomstick's where Electra, Spencer, and Sirius were already sitting and drinking butterbeer. But, the dynamic between the three had completely changed. Electra and Sirius were now talking and laughing and getting along fantastically, while Spencer seemed a bit out of it and was sporting a brilliant mop of electric blue hair.

"Hey guys," James said as he sidled into an empty chair at the table.

"Hey, Prongs, Tiger Lily," Sirius inclined his head toward Lily who sat in another empty seat next to James.

"What'd you two do?" Electra asked brightly.

"Got quills," Lily said, her voice uncertain.

"What happened?" James asked, voicing what he and Lily had been thinking.

"What do you mean what happened?" Sirius asked.

"Why are you two, so… buddy-buddy?" Lily worded what James couldn't.

"Oh, that," Sirius said, chuckling quietly to himself.

"Well," Spencer spoke up for the first time, "Sirius though it'd be funny to play a prank on me, and Electra agreed." Her bright blue eyes darkened as she said this.

"What happened?" James asked, his interest piqued.

"Well, I was…" Sirius started.

"Let's just say there was an explosion, lots of noises, colors, swearing, and my hair turned blue," Spencer cut him off, her voice dark.

"It was brilliant," Electra laughed, looking off into the distance as though reliving the event.

"It really wasn't," Spencer said.

"Ah, come on Spence, lighten up! You're hair will be perfectly normal any minute now, no harm done," Sirius barked patting her on the back, taking another swig from his bottle.

Spencer looked him in the eye, as he raised his eyebrows, and she couldn't help but smile.

"See, there's your smile," Electra said, as she also took a sip of her butterbeer.

"I guess it was pretty funny, but the owner of Zonko's…"she laughed as she too took a drink from her bottle.

"Not too pleased," Sirius said, a strained expression on his face.

"I can imagine," James said smiling, looking down at his knees. He had just realized Lily was sitting right next to him, and if either were to move an eighth of an inch their knees would be touching.

"I'm gonna go get us some butterbeer," Lily said, looking at James, not noticing the close proximity of their legs.

"Mmk," James mumbled, not registering what she said. As she moved to get up, her right leg grazed his left, and he felt as though a hole was going to burn through his jeans at that exact spot.

"Whatcha looking at there, Prongs?" Sirius asked playfully.

"Nothing," James said too quickly, his head snapping up.

"Uh huh, sure James," Electra smiled knowingly. James just glared at the three of them.

"Here we go," Lily said plopping herself back in her seat as she set the bottles of butterbeer on the table. James took his up quickly and drank it as though he hadn't ever drank before.

"What?" Lily asked quizzically, as she lifted her bottle to her lips, as she looked at her three friends sitting across from her, all three with goofy grins across their faces.

"Nothing, Tiger Lily, nothing at all," Sirius said swiftly, lifting his butterbeer from the table, and taking another drink from it. In unison, the three set their bottles back on the table. The group talked jovially about what they had done, making jokes, and making up ridiculous scenarios about what could've happened to the other two. As Sirius was making the other four laugh hysterically with his story about how Constantina had kidnapped Remus and was now making him dress in shiny pink high heels and sing opera, supplying his own imitation of Remus doing this, Constantina and Remus walked in, their hair windswept, cheeks rosy, and lips very swelled.

"Ah, they arrive at last," Sirius said, stretching one hand out towards the couple, and clutching the other to his heart, "I have missed you deeply, Remus."

"What?" Remus asked, not understanding why the other four at the table were laughing uproariously at him. He pulled up two more chairs, while Constantina got the two of them butterbeers from the bar.

"So what have we missed?" Remus asked he picked up his drink.

"Nothing, by the looks of you," Sirius said, waggling his eyebrows, and winking at his friend. Electra, Spencer, Lily, and James laughed loudly, while Constantina had the grace to blush, and Remus did a combination of the two, sputtering and laughing wildly, and blushing uncontrollably.

"That… was…" Remus began.

"True?" Sirus supplied. Laughter met this statement.

"I was going to say unnecessary," Remus gritted his teeth, but laughed with the others. The witty banter continued for another hour, as Sirius, Remus, and James all made fun of each other, and the girls laughed, not really sure how or when it happened, but it now seemed as though their two groups of four, had now merged into one unit of eight, minus Peter, who had not managed to make it down; no one noticed.

"Looks like we should be getting back," Lily said looking at the watch on her wrist, "Dinner will start in two hours, and we should probably clean up before."

The group agreed and they began to make their way out of the pub. As Spencer wrapped her scarf around her neck and trudged out after Sirius, something dark to her left caught her eye. She looked up and saw Regalus Black, dressed unsurprisingly in all black and grey. Their eyes met for a second. Something flitted across Regalus' expression that looked achingly familiar to her before she tore her gaze away and followed Sirius up the path.

"Hey, what were you looking at, Spence?" Lily asked, as Spencer caught up with the group.

"Oh, uhm…" Spencer stalled for time, "I thought I saw a… cat."

"Ok, okay," Lily called, from the front of the party, and then continued her conversation with James. Spencer let out a sigh of relief; why didn't she tell the truth? She then caught a glimpse of Sirius' dark, long hair out of the corner of her eye, and a snippet of his bark of laughter and knew why she had lied.

* * *

A/N: You know what a great, fat-free, calorie-free motivation for us writers is? REVIEWS! 


	7. A Crash Course in Polite Conversation

**Chapter 7:  
****A Crash Course in Polite Conversation**

Lily swore inwardly as she pushed open the large entrance doors of Hogwarts castle, receiving a full blast of cool autumn wind in her face. Securing the knot on her Gryffindor scarf, she tucked her arms back inside her cloak, trying to stay as warm as possible. She had to admit as she made her way across the sloping lawn, that the change in setting was rather refreshing after she had been cooped up in the library for the last few hours completing the rather difficult essay that Professor McGonagall had set for them in Transfiguration.

Lily traipsed toward the Quidditch Pitch, keeping an eye out for Spencer, who, having completed her essay earlier than Lily, had mentioned something about checking on their Herbology project in the greenhouses before going for a jog around the lake. Lily would liked to have joined her, but the essay had taken longer than she had expected, leaving her with three quarters of an hour before dinner. Not enough time to exercise and shower, but ample enough time to realize that she had absolutely nothing productive to do now that she had finished the evening's assignments.

Finally, she decided that she would stroll down to the Quidditch Pitch and catch the last couple minutes of the team's practice before walking with James, Sirius, and Electra back up to the castle for dinner. Secretly, she was looking forward to watching James practice; she loved the way he fit into the uniform (not that she would ever admit it).

Her thoughts had just turned from the team's seeker (though he kept obstinately popping back up every few moments) to the rather startling change in the relationship between Sirius and Electra. After their successful attempt at turning Spencer's hair blue, the two had formed an instant bond due to the one thing they understood better than anything― practical jokes.

Together, they had become almost as bad as Sirius and James. They were worse in a way, since the pranks were now influenced by Electra's conniving mind. While infinitely more subtle, these pranks were longer-lasting and guaranteed to put the victim into a right state of annoyance.

In just the last week, they had placed an Unstoppable Slip Charm onto the top cover of the _second_ book in the pile that Professor Flitwick usually stood on in class. Whenever his weight would shift, the top book would slide a little and the small teacher would eventually go toppling to the floor. He would replace the tome, only to have the process repeat itself throughout the lesson. That was before Sirius and Electra had placed a Sentence Replacement Solution in the jug of pumpkin juice at the Gryffindor Table during breakfast which caused anyone who was about to say something regarding a class to start spouting embarrassing pick-up lines at the teacher of said class.

But the final straw had come when Sirius and Electra had charmed Lily and James' Head Boy and Girl badges to croon sexual comments at the other person whenever they were within two feet of each other. Professor Slughorn had found this so amusing that he partnered the two of them together just so he could hear their badges say things like, "Why don't you come fill my cauldron, baby," and "I wish I could wriggle with you like these flobberworms." When both Lily and James had threatened the pair with detention the pranks had thankfully stopped, but Lily wasn't sure for how long.

She smiled as she remembered the red-faced James yelling at Sirius on their way back to Gryffindor Tower that day. She had never realized how attractive he looked when he was angry. Or, then again, maybe she had. Was that why they used to fight so often?

Lily scowled. If she kept this up she was going to end up acting no better than those fifth year girls who batted their eyelashes' ridiculously and fawned all over James no matter where he was going or who he was with. She was so displeased by this thought that she failed to notice that someone was approaching her until she ran headfirst into them.

"I am so sorry!" she apologized as their shoulders connected painfully, causing her to stumble slightly.

"Watch where you're going, you stupid Gryffindor!" a venomous voice returned. Lily's head snapped up from where she was trying to free her cloak from beneath the person's foot.

Both Lily and Snape looked at each other with identical expressions of shock on their faces.

"Oh, it's you Lily," Snape said, his tone softening perceptibly.

"Severus," she replied uncomfortably. She tugged slightly on her cloak. Snape looked down and stepped carefully off of the fabric. Lily righted the garment and brushed a strand of hair behind her ear. Snape continued to stare at her.

Discomfited, Lily took a step backward, raising a hand in a feeble gesture of half-hearted farewell.

"Wait," Snape called, striding up to walk next to her. "Where are you going?"

Lily breathed deeply. She really didn't need this right now; it had been such a good day. "I fail to see how that's any of your business."

"Lily," Snape began, his hand shooting out to grab her arm.

"I'm not going to go over this again, Sev," Lily snapped, attempting to wrench her arm out of his grip. "I think we're finished here, you can let go of my arm."

Snape looked down his hooked nose into her blazing green eyes. "No, I don't think we are quite finished, yet."

"Excuse me?" Lily asked, her eyebrow raised.

"Where were you going?" he demanded. The force of his grip on her arm chilled Lily more than the wind ever could. She knew Severus would never hurt her intentionally but she could not help but be slightly scared of the expression on his face.

"I was going down to the Quidditch Pitch to watch my friends' practice before dinner," she said coolly, trying to appear much more composed than she felt.

"Watch Potter, you mean," Snape growled as Lily turned away from him, trying desperately to tug her arm out of his grasp.

"I do have other friends on the team besides him, but yes, he would be there too. It's kind of hard not to be there when you're captain of the team," she said sardonically, rolling her eyes. "Honestly, Severus when are you going to get over this whole James complex you have and get your own life."

_I can't get my own life_, Snape wanted to shout at her, _because he took it! He took you!_

Instead, he tugged her toward him, clutching her forearms so painfully that Lily wouldn't be surprised if they started to bruise. "So friends are all you are then, is it?" he hissed. Lily wondered if he had always seemed so tall and imposing before and she had just never noticed it.

Lily was so stunned she couldn't answer. _Were she and James only friends? _She didn't quite know anymore. The line had always seemed so clear cut before and yet now, it somehow seemed dangerously blurred.

"Or," Snape continued in the same menacing voice, "do you want to be more than that with him?"

"Let me go, Severus," Lily said softly. She didn't want to deal with this right now, life had just been settling back into a comfortable routine, a better one due to the changes that had taken place. Her hand itched to go to her wand, but Snape's hold on her was too strong.

"Not until you answer me," he replied, his voice rough.

"I can't," she replied softly, her eyes full of pity as she clearly detected the pain in those of her former friend before righteous anger flared within her once more. "I won't," she said harshly, "And I shouldn't have to."

A silence fell between them.

"Lily," Snape said. "Do you ever think about back then?"

"I, of course I do Severus. We were friends for so long. It's hard to forget," she returned warily.

"Does the past mean nothing to you? Do I mean so little to you that you would so easily forget what he did to me? How he used to goad you?" There was a hint of desperation in his expression, something she was quite sure she had never seen. It frightened her, threatening to crush her beneath the weight of the unspoken implication which lay behind it and his adamant refusal to accept her friendship with James.

"I told you before," Lily said, shaking her head softly, "he's changed, Sev. James is a good person, even though he didn't always act like it. Just like you," she added softly. "I gave him a second chance, and I don't regret it."

"So that's all it takes?" Snape sneered. "Just someone who's willing to give you a second chance and everything is forgiven?"

"Yes," she replied shortly. "Would you like one, Sev?" Lily added, her voice softening as the same part of her who missed the young boy who had opened the world of magic to her, egged her on. His grip on her forearms slackened.

Instinctively, she wrapped her arms around his waist in a warm hug like she used to whenever they would meet at the playground unexpectedly as children. She was shocked when his arms came around her shoulders.

Snape could not deny that he had missed this. Missed her. Especially her hugs. In his entire life, the only person who had ever hugged Severus Snape was Lily Evans. For a moment, the world seemed to fade back to how it used to be, just the two of them, before animosity and harsh words had erected a positively unassailable wall between them.

"Please, Sev," Lily said as she drew back out of his embrace slightly. "I'd be more than happy to give you that chance."

"Would you give up Potter?" he asked, unable to stop himself.

Lily stiffened. "I won't give up one friend to make another one happy. We're not children anymore, Sev," she said, taking step away from him.

Snape wanted to sigh in blissful relief. She had said Potter was only her friend. "So he is only your friend?" he had to make sure. "You never answered my question earlier."

"And what question would that be?" a cold voice interjected.

"Ah, Regulus," Snape recovered quickly, his exterior becoming cool, exuding an aura only a Slytherin could produce. "I didn't see you there."

Regulus materialized completely from a group of trees in the direction of the greenhouses. He had an odd expression on his face, and he walked with an even larger swagger, if that was possible.

"Didn't mean to sneak up on you," Regulus regarded his fellow Slytherin with respect, as he walked slowly and purposefully to Snape's side. Standing next to each other the boys looked almost identical, and Lily was taken aback. Though Regulus had features just as strong as Sirius's, his thin frame, and the sneer he wore across his face, matched that of Snape's perfectly, pulling Lily back into the reality of the situation.

"It's fine, Black," Snape said nodding approvingly at the Slytherin to his right.

"So, Severus, what inquiry has the head girl not addressed quite yet?" Regulus asked coldly, leering at Lily.

"Ah, nothing of great importance, Regulus," Snape said, shaking his head idly. The look in his eyes unnerved Lily, how could change his emotions so quickly, "I was just asking Ms. Evans where she was off to."

"Ah, no doubt, she is off to the Quidditch pitch, just like-" Regulus stopped abruptly.

"Like who, Regulus?" Snape asked, raising his eyebrows at the 6th year, whose cheeks were now rising, just slightly in color.

"Like those 4th year whores I saw walking down to the pitch earlier," Regulus supplied swiftly. Lily didn't even notice his slip up.

"Ah, yes, to see Potter, and your brother, I expect. My apologies on that unfortunate relation by the way," Snape said, inclining his head towards Regulus.

"Yes, he certainly does bring shame to the family," Regulus said darkly. Lily couldn't take the taunting anymore. She had kept herself under control, but was no longer able to contain herself.

"_Sirius_ the shameful one?" she spat out, "Please, you two should be ashamed that you're nowhere near the person he is."

"I'd watch my mouth if I were you, Mudblood," Regulus reprimanded her, "Merlin only knows where it's been."

Snape flinched slightly at this statement, while the color in Lily's face rose to match that of her hair. Snape realizing his slip out, again, recovered quickly.

"Is that how you get Black and Potter to defend you?" Snape asked, his mouth contorting into a twisted smile.

"Yes, I always did wonder where the title_ Head _Girl came from," Regulus jeered. At this statement Lily went straight for her wand.

"Careful, Evans," Snape said cruelly, "Potter and his trio of hooligans are not in earshot and the castle is too far away for anyone to see us. You wouldn't want to be …_imprudent_."

Lily didn't know what to say. She felt like she had just been slapped across the face. He was right. No one could hear he if she screamed, and even if she sent up sparks with her wand, they were too far away for someone to be there in time if something happened. She considered herself a decent dueler, and quick with a wand, but with two of them there, if she misjudged their movements, there was no telling what might happen.

"Please, I could take you two all on my own," Lily said with fake confidence.

"Well, that is what my brother tells me," Regulus replied.

"You bastard," Lily cried indignantly, as she raised her wand to hex him, he was too quick for her.

"Protego!"

Lily looked around, her red hair sweeping behind her, she knew she had not had the time to cast the shield charm.

"What the HELL is going on?" Remus Lupin asked as he lifted his shield charm with a flick of his wrist. His shabby robes billowing behind him, Lily had never thought he had looked more like a knight in shining armor than at this moment.

"We were just practicing our dueling abilities with the head girl," Regulus replied coolly.

"I'm sure you were," Remus snapped back, as he took three long strides over to Lily, "Are you alright, Lily?" He asked as he placed his hand on the small of her back.

"I'm fine, Remus," she said, her face torn between admiration and fear.

"Don't think I won't be reporting this," Remus said glaring at Snape darkly.

"You wouldn't dare," Snape replied, his tone sending a chill down Lily's spine, "unless you want me to unleash your little secret upon the school."

Remus's body went rigid at this statement.

"Let's go, Lily," he said, not tearing his eyes off of Snape's sneering face, as he guided Lily away from the two Slytherins. There was silence between the two as they made their way towards the Quidditch pitch. Lily didn't know what to say, and Remus didn't know how to break that awkward tension.

"Thank you," Lily said meekly, looking at her shoes.

"What were you thinking wandering out alone?" he snapped quickly.

"Well, I didn't think I was going to get accosted walking across the school grounds," she replied hotly, "Geez, Remus, you're starting to sound like James."

Remus sighed loudly, and shook his head dejectedly, "Well, maybe James has the right of it."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Lily asked, she had meant to sound cold, but it came out quiet and uncertain.

"It's getting dangerous out there for people like you now, Lily," he said.

"People like me?" she shrieked, "People like me! What about people like you, Remus? You heard him back there! He threatened to tell the entire school about who you are!"

Remus's face hardened at her statement. Lily noticed her mistake right away.

"Oh, I'm so sorry, Remus," she said quickly, "I didn't mean to…"

"I know, it's alright," he said placating.

"No, it's not, I shouldn't have said that," she said quickly as she stopped walking and took his hand in hers. He stopped in his tracks.

"Lily, its fine," he said as he stared at their linked hands, "Just…don't be too hard on James, alright? He only does it because… he cares, and he doesn't want to see you get hurt."

"I know," she replied softly, and they continued to walk in silence. As they approached the pitch Lily stopped him again, and looked him in dead in the eye, "Thank you."

"It was nothing," Remus said, "I would've done it for any of you."

"But still," Lily said as she smiled widely, and threw her arms around his neck, "you're my hero."

"Whoa," came a bark of laughter, "Looks like Mooney's your new competition there, Prongs."

Lily and Remus laughed as they broke apart.

"Mooney, you sly dog," Sirius laughed again as he and James emerged from the Quidditch pitch.

"I was under the impression that that was your job, Padfoot," Remus replied shakily, his ears still red with embarrassment. James just looked at him questioningly.

"Ah, well," Sirius laughed, "So, Tiger Lily, why is Remus here your hero?"

"No reason," Remus said too quickly.

"Oh well, I believe that," Sirius said dramatically.

"Almost as much as I believe in Santa and the Tooth Fairy," James said scrutinizing Remus.

"Ah, the Tooth Fairy, what a lovely woman, not able to hold her liquor at all though," Sirius joked.

"Sirius," Lily chided him, though she laughed with the boys.

"But, really, why is Remus your hero Lils?" James asked.

"He just got me out of tight spot," she said looking at Remus with admiration in her eyes.

"Wait, hold on, what happened?" James asked, panicking. As Remus explained, James, and Sirius, steadily got angrier. Once, Remus was done telling the story with interjections from Lily, the two boys were enraged beyond belief.

"I'm going to kill him," Sirius was the first to speak. James seemed to be beyond speech, his fists curled into tight balls, his knuckles white.

"No, I'm going to torture him, make him cry, kill him, bring him back to life, and then kill him again," Sirius stormed as he paced back and forth. James stood stock still

"They can't get away with this," James seethed, his voice barely above a whisper.

"James, it's not that big of a deal," Lily said soothingly.

"Yes, yes it is," James yelled, "Lily they can't just threaten you like that."

"James, I'm fine," Lily said.

"I got there in time," Remus supplied, "Everything's fine."

"Well, what if next time you're not there in time!" James hollered.

"I can take care of myself!" Lily yelled back, "We've been over this before James. Just because we're friends now, I don't see why you have to be so overprotective."

"He's always been this overprotective of you," Sirius said, "Even before you were friends. Kind of like how I am with Electra. Except, more psychotic."

"Speaking of Electra, where is she?" Remus inquired.

"In the shower," Sirius said, closing his eyes, and shaking his head, "Just give me a minute."

"Oh God, Sirius," Lily said loudly with disgust, but relieved at the change in subject.

"Yeah, Sirius, that's—" but Sirius cut James off.

"Whichever one of you who has never had a shower fantasy is the only one who can persecute me for this," he said his eyes still closed. No one said anything.

"See, you're all perverts," he laughed as he opened his eyes at his friends' embarrassed expressions.

"I thought we'd cleared that up a while ago," Electra commented as she rounded the corner from the changing room, her tousled damp hair clinging to her neck.

"Yes, well, sometimes they need reminding," Sirius replied, the slight color in his cheeks the only indication of the discomfort he felt at the appearance of the topic of their conversation. "Especially whenever they get all sanctimonious."

"I highly doubt that the degree of our perversion was the cause of all the noise," Electra continued, hoisting her broom over her shoulder and hefting the duffle bag she kept her Quidditch gear in over the opposite one with difficulty.

"Allow me," Remus said kindly, transferring the bag to his own shoulder, heedless of Sirius' scowl.

"My hero," Electra cooed teasingly with a smile.

"He seems to be getting that a lot lately," Sirius muttered darkly under his breath as they made their way up the now darkened lawn toward the glimmering lights of the castle.

"So, is anyone going to tell me what the screaming was about?" Electra asked after a few moments of tense silence in which Lily and James continued to glare alternating back and forth at the other.

"If we tell you," Remus began bracingly, " you have to promise not to get worked up about it."

"Or do anything stupid because of it," Lily interjected, sending a meaningful look to both James and Sirius.

"Alright," Electra agreed, her dark eyes surveying the odd behavior of her friends in the light from the castle windows. Remus shifted the strap of her bag on his shoulders uncomfortably.

"_Well_," he began.

- - -

Five minutes later a resounding hush fell over the castle when the front doors slammed closed with enough force to rattle the hinges. First years huddled together in the corridor on their way down to dinner, fearing the entrance of giants or worse, mountain trolls.

"THEY DID WHAT?" a feminine voice echoed through the cavernous entrance hall.

"It's alright," Mark said, laying a hand on the shoulder of a rather frightened-looking first year. "It's only Electra."

"You get used to it after a while," Katie added, tucking her ever-present ledger under her arm so she could have both hands free to usher the first years in front of her and into the great hall like a flock of timid ducklings.

"I AM GOING TO CASTRATE BOTH OF THEM!" Electra fumed as she slammed her hands down on the polished wood of the Gryffindor table, making the golden silverware shiver. "Are you just going to let them get away with this?" She locked eyes with James who was sitting across from her.

"That's _exactly_ what they're going to do," Lily returned, not noticing James' almost imperceptible shake of the head in Electra's direction. Sirius plopped himself down in the seat next to the irate female who was currently depositing mashed potatoes on her plate as if they were the remains of Snape's brains.

"Don't worry about it," he murmured, placing a comforting hand on her leg under the table. "We've got everything under control."

"Like that's supposed to reassure me," Electra scoffed, yet she smiled at him nonetheless.

"Hey guys!" Spencer greeted cheerily as she made her ways toward the group, Constantina in tow. Her brow furrowing as they all shot wary looks in her direction. "What did I miss?" she asked, sitting in the empty seat on the other side of Sirius, unable to help noticing the location of his left hand which had not yet moved from Electra's thigh.

"I'll tell you after dinner," Lily sighed as Spencer's eyes widened in concerned confusion.

- - -

James was hardly paying attention to the potion he was supposed to applying Galpalott's Third Law to. At his side, Sirius bristled with barely checked tension, a sign that always signaled he was waiting for the finale to a particularly brilliant prank.

_And it is brilliant_, James assured himself. _It's one of our best_. He could almost taste sweet revenge. _No one_ threatened his Lily and got off without retribution. No, that was a lesson that both Severus Snape and Regalus Black needed to be taught, the harsher, the better.

It was for this reason that James and Sirius, with the help of Electra had charmed both Slytherins' cauldrons to explode if either of them mentioned the words, 'Lily', 'Evans,' or 'Head Girl.' It had been a particularly complicated bit of magic that required a sort of voice and touch identification of the victims. With the help of a handy recording spell and Electra's smooth 'borrowing' skills as she sat behind Snape in Defense Against the Dark Arts, they had managed to obtain a snippet of both boys talking to professor Slughorn in the previous potion's lesson, as well as Snape's potions knife. Regalus had borrowed the knife to chop his pickled flobberworms the week before as they had heard Snape complaining loudly that he had not cleaned it after use. After that, rigging a basic explosion charm to the boys' unattended cauldrons in the student store cupboard that morning before breakfast had been child's play.

His only regrets were that Electra, who was not in NEWT-level potions, would not be there to witness their triumphal revenge on Snape and that they would not get to witness the fireworks when Regalus eventually let Lily's name slip.

"What's got you so happy?" Lily asked from his other side, where she was working feverishly over her cauldron.

"Nothing," James said quickly, attempting to turn his drifting thoughts back to his assigned task, trying to avoid Remus' suspicious look from across the table.

"Oh, just blow up already," Sirius whispered harshly as he surveyed Snape's greasy head which was bent over his cauldron one table over.

"Tsk, tsk boys," Slughorn's unexpected booming voice caused both James and Sirius to jump almost a foot in the air. "I expected better out of the two of you, especially you Black." Slughorn's thatched hair shook with the movement of his head. "Your younger brother clearly inherited your mother's talent for potion-making. You should have seen his Forgetfulness Potion the other day, textbook, I say."

The rotund Professor moved around so he could peer down, beaming, into Lily's gently steaming brew.

"A prime example as always," he crowed.

"Were you expecting anything different, Professor?" Lily asked with a sweet smile.

"Oh ho, you get cheekier by the day, don't you?" Slughorn chuckled, shuffling his velvet-clad way over to Snape.

"Now, what do we have here?" the Professor glanced down into the potion which was simmering and releasing the same sort of pearlescent vapors as Lily's.

"It's good, Snape," Slughorn said jovially, "but your color is a little off. Maybe you should start taking tips from Miss Evans over there!"

And then it happened. James hardly had time to swear before Snape's cauldron exploded at the mention of Lily's name.

James threw himself at Lily, their backs colliding painfully with the stone walls of the dungeon. James sheltered her body with his own as bits of pewter ricocheted off of the wall, as hissing, half-harmful poison rained down upon the students.

There was a loud 'oomph' and a thud as Professor Slughorn landed a few feet away from them, blow backwards by the force of the jinx.

There was a moment of silence before pandemonium broke loose. Several students ran screaming from the classroom as large boils broke out on their face from the half-finished potion.

"What did you do?" Lily cried as James moved off of her. She cringed as she pried her back away from the wall.

"Are you alright?" James queried, his hand brushing her hair loose out of her face. Her check had been cut by a piece of shrapnel. Carefully, he used the edge of his sleeve to wipe away the small trail of blood.

"Am _I_ alright?" she demanded. "Look at _you_!" James had to admit that he did look rather worse for the wear, his robe had been fairly decimated and he was positive that a few pieces of pewter were imbedded in his side. James glanced around for Sirius, relieved to see that his friend had dragged Remus down beneath the shelter of the table. The two boys crawled out to sag on the wall beside James and Lily.

"Merlin fucking Grindlewald," Sirius breathed. "What happened?" James shook his head. He had no idea what had gone wrong. The cauldron shouldn't have exploded unless both the people who had touched the object and the voices matched.

"You don't think Slughorn touched that knife too," James whispered. It was the only way to explain it.

"I can't believe you," Lily said, shaking her head and moving farther away from the comforting hold James had had on her. "What were you thinking? What if one of the kids got hit in the back of the neck or in the spine! And Snape, you could've killed him!"

"And it would have served him right for threatening you!" James returned heatedly. He would have said more, but quickly shut his mouth a Slughorn rolled to his feet, dust clinging to his thick hair and expensive waistcoat.

"Merlin's beard boy!" he choked, scurrying over to help Snape up. "What happened?"

"They did!" Snape said shakily, pointing his finger at James and Sirius. He looked positively frightening, his face torn up and bleeding, his nose streaming dark liquid from where it had made contact with the floor.

"What are you talking about, Snape?" Slughorn asked, puzzled. "What possible reason could they have for blowing up your cauldron? You must have hit your head when you fell."

"I did not hit my head you big oaf!" Snape snapped. "Check their wands. Go ahead. Do it!"

"That's a serious accusation, my boy," Slughorn said, brushing his hands uncomfortably on his dusty jacket. "However, if you feel that way…May I have your wands please, gentlemen."

With a sickening feeling of dread, James pulled his wand out of his pocket and handed it to Slughorn. Sirius followed suit, glaring at Snape all the while. James could feel the eyes of all the remaining students burning a hole in the back of his head. They had only had theory that morning in charms. And the last spell that his wand had performed…

Was displayed for the class to see as Slughorn tapped both wands with his own.

Ghostly echoes of both Snape's and Regalus' voices from the left over recording spell accompanied the intricate twisting pattern required by the explosion jinx that was etched out in two perfect patterns of smoke. Slughorn waved his wand, vanishing the apparition.

"Well, now," he said, sweat beading down his brow. "I've never had anything like this happen in my class before, Merlin, no. I shall be informing your head of house about this, boys," Slughorn said, exhaling. In the meantime, you should all get to the hospital wing and have Madame Pomfrey take a look at your injuries. Yes…" he turned and strode out, presumably to either warn the nurse of their imminent arrival or to inform Professor McGonagall about their involvement in the incident.

Grimacing as he stood up fully, feeling his lacerated side protesting, James helped a staggering Lily to her feet. Across the row of students who were hurrying out of the classroom, he met Snape's eyes. Though there was a glint of satisfaction in their blackness accompanied by the usual loathing, there was also something else that looked suspiciously like fear.

Snape now knew just how far James would go to protect Lily. While it hadn't really worked out in his favor this time, Snape was definitely the worse off.

And, James noted with a hint of smug pride that had no place in his current situation of impending doom, it was him and not Snape, who was half-supported by Lily as he limped down the corridor.

In silence, the pair left the bleeding Slytherin boy behind.

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A/N: I think I deserve reviews for taking the time to edit this when in the middle of a production week. Sorry for the delay in updating, this month has been hell. However, we are incredibly excited for the next 'arc' of this story. We like to call it the 'Midnight Train to Angstville.' But have no fear, romance and fluff with always be here! 


	8. Every Night is Another Story

A/N: Hello again readers! We apologize for the delay in updating but for those of you who have yet to experience it, getting into college is a bitch. Anyway, we hope to start updating more frequently, as we want the chapters that happen around Christmas to happen …well, around Christmas. Don't forget to leave a review!

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**Points in the Right Direction  
Chapter Eight: ****Every Night Is Another Story**

James Potter's head was swimming. How could this have possibly happened? How could he and Sirius have been so _stupid_?

"Fuck," he groaned as he collapsed on his bed, throwing one arm across his closed eyelids.

Detention. For two weeks.

Every single free moment they had would be spent in the dungeons. No Quidditch practice. No Head Boy duties. From 4 p.m. until 7:30 a.m. on class days, he and Sirius would spend their time in the dungeons completing miscellaneous tasks for teachers. On the weekends the sentence increased to fill their entire day.

James had never heard of this type of punishment before, but he knew he had gotten off easy. The look on McGonagall's face was enough to make him want to hit himself over the head. But her tone had been the worst. She was beyond anger and disappointment. She had sounded… _defeated_.

James supposed he should only be grateful that he hadn't been expelled. He knew that he would have been packing his bags, had Lily and Remus not burst into McGonagall's office and hastily explained what had happened a few weeks prior with Snape and Regalus. The way McGonagall's nostrils had flared when Lily described how Snape and Regalus had harassed her, James was surprised she hadn't started to breathe fire. She was so angry she couldn't speak. When Lily, with some interjection from Remus, had finished her synopsis of the events, Professor McGonagall did nothing for a few tense moments.

Then, without warning she stormed out of the room, her eyes as cold as steel, her footsteps not their usual gentle thud, but a harsh slap that somehow seemed to shake the room, and to hear Sirius tell it, bring roaring thunder. Her anger was a storm; a storm James hoped not to get caught in.

The fours teens sat in awed silence in her office, waiting for her inevitable return. James played with the bandage on his arm that prevented him from playing with the potion that was healing a rather nasty cut. He caught Lily staring at him more than once. Every time their eyes locked she would blush furiously, and then become preoccupied with her shoes. James had to fight the smile tugging on his lips. He couldn't help but find her completely adorable when embarrassed.

McGonagall came back about ten minutes after she had left. Her fury was now in full flow, it was obvious that she had been on the Slytherin warpath. When she opened her mouth to speak, she seemed too flustered to even form a coherent sentence. All she was capable of articulating was, "Black… Potter… two weeks… Detention… Out… NOW!"

They didn't need to be told twice. The four rushed out as though being chased by a group of rampaging hippogriffs. James and Sirius breathed sighs of relief, and profusely thanked Lily and Remus. When they returned to the Gryffindor Common Room a nervous second year who looked to be on the verge of tears ran up to the foursome, shoved letters into James' and Sirius's hands and ran away. James and Sirius read their letters from Professor Dumbledore which expressed his deep disappoint in them both, and explained (in great detail) their punishment. Though it seemed a bit… crazy... the boys knew they were lucky to be still standing in the castle.

Though relief was coursing through his body, James was starting to feel sick to his stomach. Yeah, okay… _fine_… he was still enrolled at Hogwarts. They weren't expelling him. But only allowing four hours a night to sleep and do homework! He kept telling himself it was worth it to see the look on Snape's face as he hobbled away with Lily.

James groaned and lifted his arm to stare bleakly up at the roof of his four-poster. His eyes shifted over to glance at his roommates. Sirius was lying on his bed in a similar state, and Remus had shut himself up in a book by the fire as soon as they had returned to the common room. It wasn't until James' eyes fell on the large calendar posted on the wall beside Remus' nightstand that he understood Remus' suddenly antisocial behavior.

His and Sirius's detentions started at noon on Saturday. Tomorrow _was_ Saturday. _Saturday_ was the full moon. The unpleasant feeling of sickness settled somewhere in the region of his abdomen and he couldn't shake it.

Remus would be all by himself for the first time in a year and half during his transformation. Not only that, but worse, no one would be there to take him to the hospital afterwards. Ever since the middle of fifth year, teachers had stopped trading lots for who would get up at the crack of dawn and help 'poor Mr. Lupin' out of the passageway beneath the Whomping Willow. Remus had explained his miraculous ability to support his own weight up to the castle as an increase in strength as he aged. In reality, James, Sirius, and Peter would remain hidden under the invisibility cloak ensuring that Remus was safely in Madame Pomfrey's care before returning to the dormitory so as not to raise suspicion. They would bound down to breakfast after a few hours sleep and inquire in loud voices as to the health of Remus' failing relative.

James felt the bile rise in his throat as he thought of how he let his friend down.

He turned on his side to look at Sirius who seemed to be having the same exact thoughts.

"What are we going to do, Padfoot?" James asked his friend desperately.

"We could tell McGonagall to screw herself and just go with Moony anyway," Sirius ventured.

"Somehow, I don't think that's going to work," James said, shaking his head as he propped himself up on his elbow.

"Maybe… we can ask if we can be exempt tomorrow night and carry it over another night? I mean she isn't heartless, she'll definitely say yes!" Sirius said brightly as he suddenly shot up into a sitting position.

"And we explain the fact that we have to miss detention because we can turn into a dog, stag, _and_ a rat how?" James asked sarcastically.

"Peter!" Sirius said, slapping his forehead and hopping off his bed brightly.

"How could we have forgotten about Peter?" James asked as he too just realized their mistake.

"Probably because he's never around," Sirius pointed out.

"Good Point," James said, getting up and beginning to pace the room in agitation. "We just have to tell Pete that we can't go tomorrow and he's in charge of keeping Moony company and taking care of him."

"That's a good one James," Sirius said with a bark of laughter, "I mean Remus is a skinny bloke, but… Wormtail can barely carry his book bag, let alone a hundred and sixty pound teenage boy right after transforming from being a carnivorous fluff ball."

"Carnivorous fluff ball?" James asked disbelievingly, as he plopped into a sitting position on his bed, his feet hitting the floor softly, "Sometimes, mate… I wonder where you get this kind of crap from."

"You really don't wanna know what goes on up here," Sirius said, tapping himself on the temple.

"You're right," James said chuckling.

"With what? Peter's girlishness or about not wanting to know my thought processes?" Sirius asked.

"Both."

"Remus could just ask Madam Pomfrey to meet him in the morning at the Whomping Willow…"

"After a year plus why would he ask for her help now when he was adamant in the middle of our fifth year he could make it to the hospital wing on his own?" James said, setting his head in his hands.

"We're screwed. I mean who else could we ask? Who else knows about his…issues?" Sirius said, letting out a huge sigh. James could feel pressure building between his eyes as he wracked his brains for anyone trustworthy they could ask for help.

"We have no choice," Sirius concluded after a moment. "We have to ask…"

"NO," James said, his head snapping up, "We can not, and _will not_ ask her."

He knew what Sirius wanted to do. He wanted to ask Lily. But James would never let her get into that kind of danger if he could prevent it. What if something went wrong? What if Moony came into the passage and Lily could hear him whimpering and couldn't stand it any longer and decided to open the tunnel early? There were too many things that could go wrong.

"Face it, mate, we have no other options," Sirius said, "I don't like it either, but we have to think about Moony, here. We screwed him over pretty good, and we can't leave him hanging like that. We have to ask her."

"There has to be another way," James cried out in frustration.

"Well, lets review our options here," Sirius said, beginning to tick them off on his fingers. "Option one: leave Moony to Wormtail and pray to Merlin nothing goes wrong. Option two: ask McGonagall to let us go and unwittingly reveal we're animagi. Option three: sneak out of detention and inevitably get caught, either extending our enjoyable punishment or actually getting expelled. Option four: put our faith in Lily to take the lead on this one," Sirius said with conviction, exhaling heavily after his longwinded rant.

"I vote option three," James said, thrusting his hand in the air as though he were actually voting.

"Over-ruled by the majority, we're asking Lily," Sirius said forcefully.

"Majority? There are only two of us, you idiot. There is no majority," James laughed half-heartedly.

"Well, I get two votes," Sirius said, growing frustrated, "Now, go ask her."

"Me? Why do I have to ask her?" James protested, his voice rising.

"Because, you're madly in love with her and she's just as crazy about you. She'll probably hit me if I ask her because I'll say something wrong," Sirius supplied matter-of-factly.

"I don't agree with the first part, but the second part…" James trailed off, knowing that his friend had successfully cornered him.

"She may be little, but she has a nasty right hook," Sirius said, caressing his jaw.

"Fine, I'll do it," James groaned as he hoisted himself off his bed and dragged himself to the door and unlocked it with a click.

He trudged down to the common room, his steps thudding dully on the flagstones. As he made his way off of the last step, he spotted a head of red hair in the far corner tucked in the pages of a large book. He made his way through the maze of furniture, papers, and talkative students excited for the weekend. As he passed by a group of chattering third years, he tried to ignore their conversation, which was obviously about what had happened during the seventh years' potions class. With as much dignity as he could muster, he came to a stop right next to Lily's chair and cleared his throat.

"Eh hem," he tried his voice noticeably an octave higher.

"Not now, James, I'm not in the mood," Lily said blandly, not even glancing up from the page she was reading.

"That's not what you said earlier," James returned, projecting his voice so the entire common room could hear him. The noise in the room died down instantly at the prospect's of a Lily Evans-James Potter all-out brawl.

"_Excuse me_?" Lily asked, her voice as cold as ice, her eyes flashing to where he stood behind her. James bent over the back of her chair, and whispered in her ear, "I need to talk to you in private about Remus. Play along."

He stood up swiftly and without warning, received a sharp slap across his right cheek. There was a collective intake of breath throughout the common room.

"James Potter, how dare you insinuate we did something like _that_?" Lily roared, as she took her 'war stance' as Sirius liked to call it. He hands were on her hips, her eyes were shining with anger, and her hair was wildly flying behind her.

"Well, maybe I wouldn't, if you would give me a reason not to!" he screamed back at her, running his hands through his rogue hair, his glasses askew. The older students in the common room were already ushering the younger students up to their dorm rooms, as James and Lily's row came to the center of the common room.

"OH! I'LL GIVE YOU A REASON!" Lily screamed as she took five quick strides up to him and shoved her hands into his chest.

"Oh, please do it right here. I'm sure _everyone_ would love to see," James laughed sarcastically gesturing to the common room. They both looked around to see that the common room had mercifully completely emptied in less than ten seconds.

"Whew… that was close," Lily said, letting out a breath of air, "I wasn't sure what I was going to call you next."

"_Close_?" James asked wildly, his wide eyes staring at her, his hand rubbing his cheek where a red hand mark was now present, "You almost slapped me into next week!"

"Oh, I'm sorry," Lily said, smiling shyly. Without thinking, she walked up to him and stood on her tip toes. Placing her small hand on his cheek, she began to rub it gently, "I didn't know what else to do. You _said_ play along and the first thing that came to mind was slapping you."

"Really? That's the first thing that came to mind?" James asked incredulously.

"It was either that or call you a boorish carcass of a man," Lily joked.

"But, I'm not dead," James said indignantly, trying to hide the fact that he was thoroughly enjoying the feel of her skin on his, innocent as it was.

"Well, that can be changed," Lily smiled cheekily.

"A boorish carcass of a man?" James said thoughtfully, "Well, it would've hurt less," he finished resting his hand on top of hers. His hand stayed gently on top of hers for a fraction of a second before she pulled it away, embarrassed, and stared pointedly at her shoes.

"So… you… uhm… wanted to talk to me… about Remus," she muttered incoherently as she walked quickly to a plush red armchair, her arms folded neatly across her chest, her eyes glued to the floor.

"Oh, yeah. That," James said, his mind coming back to earth. He ran his hand through his hair before, jamming them into his pockets.

"Well, you see…" he started, "Because Sirius and I are… otherwise… occupied during all of our free time for the next two weeks, we were wondering if you could grant us a very huge favor on Saturday."

"And that would be?" Lily asked, raising her eyebrows. Then it dawned on her.

"I know it's a lot to ask… but…" James started a full speech ready.

"I'll do it," Lily said, standing up.

"You will?" James asked surprised. He stared in awed amazement at the petite goddess of a woman before him and resisted the urge to pull her down onto the nearby sofa and kiss her senseless.

"Of course, after everything Remus has done for me… the least I could do is look out for him for one night," Lily replied, her voice strong, her eyes reassuring.

"Are you absolutely positive?" James asked, taking a hold of her forearms and looking her dead in the eye.

"One hundred percent," Lily said, her gaze steady.

"Alright," James said, letting out a breath of air, "Thank you. Thank you so much."

"That's what friends are for," Lily said, smiling meekly.

"Yeah, they are," James said returning her smile, and then his stomach flip-flopped as though to remind him of the next conversation he needed to have. His face paled considerably.

"What is it?" Lily asked quickly, her voice full of concern.

"Remus is _never_ going to agree to this," James muttered.

"Of course, he will. I'll make him," Lily said forcefully, "Where is he?"

"Upstairs. I saw him run out of the common room when I told you 'That's not what you said last night'".

"Let's go," she said, grabbing him by the arm with more strength then he thought posessed.

As they reached the first step, without any warning she opened her mouth and screamed angrily, "Don't you **dare** walk away from _me_, James Potter!" She turned around and smiled cheekily at him.

"Oh, I'll walk away from whomever I want to, Evans," he screamed back as she dragged him up the stairs to his dormitory, both of them stomping up the stairs for dramatic effect.

She didn't even bother knocking on the door when she came to the seventh year boys dorm room. Lily threw it open purposefully and pulled James inside as though _she_ was the one who slept there.

"Potter!" she yelled furiously out the door and down the stone steps, her voice reverberating through the hollow stairwell. James then slammed the door so hard, he was shocked it didn't come off its hinges. Neither could contain their laughter any longer, fairly collapsing onto each other in a fit of glee at their own brilliance.

"Merlin Evans, didn't you ever learn to knock?" Sirius asked, as he scrambled off his bed to find a shirt to throw on.

"Oh God, Black, no one needs to see that," Lily said, her voice a mix of disgust and amusement.

"Padfoot, why aren't you wearing a shirt?" James asked skeptically, almost hoping he wouldn't answer the question.

"Well, if you must know my dearest Jamsie, I had just gotten out of the shower and was putting on my evening apparel when I noticed an interesting book on Moony's bedside table. So, I picked it up and became so enraptured with this piece of literature that I forgot that I had previously been clothing myself," Sirius said in all honesty. Lily and James stared blankly at Sirius for a moment.

"Siriusly, Sirius, who talks like that?" James asked his voice full of mirth.

"Really, is it entirely necessary to Siriusly-Sirius me on a day like today?" Sirius asked, his voice trembling in mock-indignation.

"Shut up, Black," Lily laughed. "Where's Remus?"

"Sleeping, resting up for tomorrow," Sirius replied, his mood instantly sober.

"Which one is his?" Lily asked, turning on the spot and pointing to the two beds with their curtains pulled.

"Take a guess," Sirius said, a grin spreading across his face.

"How am I supposed to…" Lily started, but she was cut off by a very loud snore which was emitted from the bed to her left.

"So, what'll it be Ms. Evans," Sirius asked, "Door number one," he said gesturing to the silent bed, "Or door number two," now gesturing to the bed erupting with snores. "Choose wisely."

"Step aside, Black," Lily commanded as she playfully shoved Sirius out her way and roughly tore the curtains around the silent bed away, revealing a peacefully sleeping Remus Lupin.

"Remus," Lily said gently, shaking his arm, "Remus, wake up, it's Lily, I need to talk to you.

"Hmm?" Remus mumbled groggily, as he slowly came out of his slumber. He blinked in apparent confusion as to why the object of James' desire was currently standing in front if _his_ bed.

"I'm picking you up on Sunday morning after sunrise to help Peter carry you up to the hospital wing. Got it?"

"Wait…_what_?" Remus said, shaking his head as he propped himself up on his elbows.

"Because James and Sirius are going to be in detention tomorrow night and they won't be able to take care of you, I'm going to do it," Lily reiterated sweetly, in a tone that brooked no refusal.

Now fully conscious, Remus let her words sink in.

"No," he said, shaking his head vigorously, his eyes wide as he looked at his friends. "I can't believe you even asked her to put herself in that situation."

"They didn't want to!" Lily said. "And even if they wouldn't have, I would've volunteered!" she plopped down obstinately on the bed, facing him.

"No, Lily," Remus said hotly, "I won't let you."

"You won't let me?" Lily said, her voice rising, her hands flying into the air, "I will help you! You don't have to like it. You just have to accept it."

"No," Remus said, now standing up, and confronting her. James had never seen Remus actually fight with someone. Yes, he had gotten into disagreements with himself and Sirius on various occasions, but he had never actually _fought_ with them. His voice may have raised his voice a bit or moved his arms, but he **never** stood up and confronted them.

"Yes. Now deal with it," Lily growled, inches away from his face.

"Lily, you don't understand," Remus pleaded with her, his voice going soft, his arms went limp at his sides, "I'm… I'm incredibly dangerous when I'm in my werewolf form…and the possibility that I could hurt you…"

"Remus, I can take of myself," Lily said, taking a step closer to him.

"If I hurt you," he said again, more desperately this time, "I would never forgive myself."

"And if something happened to you tomorrow night, and I hadn't done something when I could've, I would never be able to forgive myself," Lily said, staring him in eyes.

"Lily, I can't let you do this," Remus said shaking his head and placing his hands on her shoulders.

"But, you have to," Lily said, her voice barely above a whisper. Her eyes were glistening with tears at her friends obvious pain.

"No, no… We can find another way," Remus said, shutting his eyes tightly. He looked imploringly at James and Sirius, "Can't we?"

"I wish we did, mate," James replied, shaking his head defeatedly, trying to ignore the rush of happiness he felt as Remus removed his arms from Lily's shoulders. The argument had begun looking a little too…_cozy_ for his taste.

"We never would've asked her if we saw another way," Sirius added, clapping Remus on the shoulder.

"But, Peter, he… he can take care of me," Remus said, grasping at his last hope.

"Remus, think about it. Who always carries you back to the castle?" James said, raising an eyebrow.

"You or Sirius," Remus replied quietly.

"Because Peter can't physically carry you," Sirius said, "Lily may be little, but she's strong, she can help support you up to the hospital wing with Peter."

"Remus, just… just accept it," James said softly.

Remus let out a sigh, "Fine."

"Good," Lily said, brightly. "I'm going to bed now. I'll see you all tomorrow morning. Good night boys."

She kissed Remus and James quickly on the cheek, and hugged Sirius before exiting the boys dorm and stomping down the stairs, and huffing dramatically, the boys even heard her 'loudly mutter' words that sounded a lot like 'bastard Potter' at the bottom of the stairs to keep up appearances.

The boys all chuckled. "I could get used to having her around," Sirius commented with a grin as he threw back the blankets on his bed.

Remus caught James' eye, and said so quietly that James had to strain to hear him, "If I hurt her, I'll never forgive myself."

"You won't," James said reassuringly, "Don't worry; you'll have Peter there to keep you in check."

Remus just shrugged, and both boys climbed into their respective beds. Neither of them could bear to voice that it was impossible for a three pound rat to keep a sixty-pound werewolf under control.

"Please, Merlin, let nothing else go wrong," James pleaded to whoever might be listening before rolling onto his side and attempting to fall asleep

- - -

But it did.

"What do you mean you have detention tonight?" Sirius demanded angrily at breakfast the next morning, brandishing his butter knife at Peter in a threatening manner.

"Flitwick gave it to me for forgetting me homework again. He said the last time I forgot my homework that if I forget one more time I'd get detention," Peter said meekly into his cereal.

"You're killing me, Peter," James huffed, as he poured himself orange juice.

"I'm… I'm…I'm sorry, guys," Peter stuttered ashamedly, as he stared at his hands twisting in his lap.

"It's… it's fine, Pete," James replied in tone that let even Peter know it was everything _but_ fine. "Why, in the name of Merlin, didn't you tell us earlier?" James sighed.

"Well, I thought you guys would be so upset about your detentions and I didn't think you'd really care," Peter said.

"We normally wouldn't, but this means Remus is completely on his own tonight," James said quietly so that no one else could hear him. Peter gasped.

"I had completely forgotten about the ful—," he began to exclaim loudly before Sirius slapped him on the back hard enough to send his face flying into his kippers.

"Shhhh!" Sirius said, swatting at his friend to quiet him. "He was choking," Sirius explained hastily to the group of third years who were giving him strange looks.

"Sorry," Peter whispered.

"Now, Lily has to do it all on her own," James groaned as he collapsed on the table.

"You better go explain about the knot in the stump and everything," Sirius suggested.

"Oh shit," James said, jumping from his seat, and sprinting out of the hall.

"We're so fucked, it isn't funny," Sirius groaned as he shoveled cereal into his mouth.

- - -

"So, just find a branch and gently tap the knot right under the thickest vein on the stump, the tree will stop moving, and Remus will come out. Then you just help him up to the hospital wing. Any questions?"

James's words still rung in Lily's ears like a siren as she made her way back to the common room. She had just come back from walking Remus down to the entrance hall where he would meet the teacher who would stow him away to the security of the Shrieking Shack. She had reassured him after his continuing protests of the million things that could go wrong with this plan. She told him one last time everything would be fine, gave him a quick hug for good measure before scampering down the hall before the teacher who accompanied the approaching footsteps saw her.

She was now making her way back to the Gryffindor Common room, mulling over the days events. James ranting about the knot in the tree, James kissing her on the cheek before he left for his detention Sirius joking about them all being carted off to Azkaban, James kissing her on the cheek before he left for his detention, Remus fretting about all the flaws of the plan, James kissing her on the cheek before he left for his detention, James giving her his invisibility cloak to keep her and Remus covered on the way up to the hospital wing, Peter squealing as Sirius hit him over the head for getting a detention, James kissing her on the cheek before he left for his detention.

James kissing her on the cheek before he left for his detention seemed to outshine all the others in importance, strangely enough. Her cheek still tingled where his lips had touched his skin. She found herself unconsciously touching her cheek all throughout the afternoon afterwards.

She stumbled through the portrait hole into the common room when she heard a yell from the corner, "There you are!"

Lily looked up to see Electra sitting in a plush red armchair across from Constantina who was wearing her purple cat-eyed reading glasses, a thick book nestled in her lap. Spencer was nowhere to be found.

"Where were you?" Electra asked Lily, as she plopped herself into a chair next to the fire.

"I was in the library, checking up on some things for that gruesome Defense essay," Lily blurted out. Did she just _lie_ to her best friends?

"Did you see Remus there? He said he'd be there all night doing homework and not to disturb him, but I'm worried about him," Constantina asked, looking at Lily.

"Yeah, I think I was the last one who talked to him," Lily said, proud of herself for not directly lying that time.

"He's been acting odd lately," Constantina said shaking her head in thought as she took off her glasses.

"Well, you know Remus," Electra said.

"I thought I did," Constantina sighed.

"What do you mean?" Lily asked, now interested.

"Well, he's been acting strangely. And he barely eats anymore, even though he's practically a stick. Sometimes he's a bit… moody. And when he's angry, sometimes he'll snap, his voice turns into... a sort of… bark."

_Imagine that…_ Lily laughed ironically to herself.

"Remus snaps at you?" Electra asked, "Remus doesn't seem like the type."

"He doesn't snap, so much as raise his voice slightly when I interrupt an essay when he's asked me not to," Constantina said, putting her glasses back on.

"Well, then, you can't really blame him, can you?" Lily said before she thought about what she was saying.

"What do you mean 'can't blame him'?" Constantina asked, her head shooting up.

"Well… if he asked you to not… distract…him, then I guess he has a point," Lily said choosing her words carefully.

"But, he can't just _ignore_ me, I'm his girlfriend," Constantina said as though it gave her all the right in the world.

"But, Connie, you ignore him sometimes too, and _you_ snap at him all the time" Electra pointed out.

"Excuse me, but when did it turn into Pick on Constantina Day?" Constantina asked pointedly, removing her glasses for a second time.

"We're not picking on you, Con," Lily replied hastily, trying to diffuse her friend's anger before it got too uncontrollable.

"Yeah, we're just saying… you're being a bit… _unfair_ to poor Remus when he's not even here to defend himself," Electra added.

"Unfair? Unfair! He barely speaks to me anymore!" Constantina cried.

Lily had had it.

"Well maybe if you didn't spend all your free time pushing him away, he wouldn't seem so distant," Lily returned darkly. Remus was one of Lily's best friends, and one of the greatest guys she knew. He was having a rough time lately with not being able to tell Constantina about his being a werewolf, because he wasn't sure he could trust her. Now, Lily was beginning to see why.

"What did you just say?" Constantina asked heatedly.

"I said, _maybe_ if you actually treated him with any decency, he might be more willing to be open!" Lily said, matching Constantina's anger.

"How dare you say that about my boyfriend!" Constantina goaded.

"Constantina! Lily!" Electra said, her voice stern, "Stop it. This is ridiculous!"

"I'll stop it once she realizes what a great boyfriend she has and starts treating him that way," Lily said. Constantina let out a groan of frustration, stood up from her chair, and stomped up the stairs into the dormitory.

"Gah, damn it, Lily!" Electra groaned.

"I'm sorry," Lily apologized, "I just can't take it when she gets like that! When she acts like the victim! It's so…"

"Provoking?" Electra supplied.

"Yes! She just doesn't get how good she has it," Lily sighed, as she unconsciously touched her cheek.

"None of us do, really" Electra commented, leaning back in her chair.

- - -

After talking with Electra for another hour or so Spencer arrived back to the Common Room and joined the conversation. The three friends continued to talk over a fierce Exploding snap competition, in which Spencer very nearly lost half of her prized hair.

When they finally decided to retire for the night, Lily made sure to remain at the back of the group incase Constantina was still awake. She was mercifully asleep, and Electra and Spencer soon followed suit.

Lily stared at the clock on her bedside table. It was 2:36 in the morning, and she needed to be up in two hours if she wanted to be on time to get Remus. Deciding that it would be safer to just stay awake, Lily lay silently in her bed, replaying the events of the day in her head. She couldn't help but smile as she remembered the feel of James' lips on her cheek…

Lily's eyes shot open.

"Shit," she murmured as she looked at the clock, "Five oh five! Shit, shit, shit!"

She threw on a pair of jeans, a t-shirt, and her sneakers, before sprinting out of the room as quickly and quietly as possible, not noticing the empty bed across from hers.

She stumbled down the stairs two at a time, mumbling curse words to herself. She pelted across the common room frantically. She opened the portrait hole, and hopped out into the open corridor. All the while James' invisibility cloak lay forgotten under Lily's bed.

Lily's sneakers squeaked as she dashed down the marble staircase in the Entrance Hall, and the doors made a jarringly loud screeching noise as she shoved them open. The cold autumn air hit her face, as the first rays of the early morning sun met her eyes. The grass slopped under her feet as she ran, the smell of moisture met her nostrils; had it rained last night and she not noticed?

She skidded to a halt just before the Whomping Willow. She clutched the stitch in her side as she gasped for oxygen. The cold air stung at her lungs, as she bent over. Lily pushed herself up into a standing position just as the tree began to quiver. She watched as the dangerously swaying branches suddenly stilled, a dark hole opening up at its roots. She hastily made her way over to the opening.

"Oh, Remus," she breathed as she took in the battered appearance of her friend. "I'm so sorry I'm late!" she whispered as she helped pull him away from the tree. His face was covered in scratch marks, and his lips were blue from cold. Most of his clothes were torn, and his hair glistened with sweat. His limbs were shaking with exhaustion, and his skin was pale, so pale it almost glowed and the early morning light.

Lily wrapped her arm around his waist as he sagged into her. He was heavier than she thought he would be. Using all of the strength she possessed, Lily hoisted them off of the ground, clutching his arms around her neck for more stability. Remus' legs shook horribly, his breathing heavy on Lily's skin as his head rested on her shoulder.

She began to move at a slow pace; a few steps at a time before stopping to readjust her grip around his waist. They were halfway across the grounds and Lily felt as though her legs were about to give out from beneath her, when Remus started to stir in her arms. When she pushed against his hip with her own he now pushed back helping to give her a better grip around his waist, and his legs started to support his own weight. Lily felt the pressure on her shoulder lessen and her back began to straighten. As they reached the granite steps leading into Then Entrance Hall, Remus was completely supporting his own weight, but Lily kept her arm securely around his waist and his arm around her neck, as they wobbly made their way up the stairs. Just as they were on the last step, about to pass through the threshold of the castle Remus let out a breath of air, and made a noise.

"Are you alright?" Lily asked, her voice full of concern, as she stopped walking to look her friend in the eyes.

"Fine," he groaned, as he winced in pain.

"Then what'd you just say?" she asked anxiously.

"Thank you," he said sheepishly, some of the color returning to his face.

"Oh," she said, her smile brightening. "Anytime."

Together, they entered the undisturbed quiet of the castle, neither one noticing the set of brown eyes behind a pair of purple glasses watching them from a window in the topmost tower to the North.

* * *

A/N: Leave us a **review** so we know how we did! 


	9. What Is and What Should Never Be

**Chapter 9:  
****What is and What Should Never Be**

How the pair made their way up all the flights of stairs to the Hospital Wing Lily would never know. She slid Remus gently onto a clean bed and ran out of the hospital wing before Madame Pomfrey could see her. She plodded up the staircases James had shown her on their midnight walk to the kitchens a month back, and walked discretely down hollow corridors.

Her eyelids felt like lead weights which begged to be closed as her legs kept moving of their own accord. She somehow ended up at the portrait hole, whispered the password, and practically crawled into the warmth of the common room.

The fireplace already contained a roaring fire, and the plush red arm chairs looked incredibly inviting. Without thinking, Lily plopped herself into her favorite chair right next to the fire, curled up into a ball, and drifted off to sleep immediately.

- - -

Lily's eyes snapped open. Where was she? Then the events of the past evening flooded her memory. She gained her bearings, glancing down at her watch: 6:27. _That's it! I only slept for twenty-five minutes,_ she thought disdainfully to herself.

She rubbed her eyes with the palms of her hands. Standing, she stretched her sore back muscles and began to walk toward the stairs leading up to the girls' dormitories.

"Awake so soon?" a soft voice asked.

Lily's head whipped around to the corner by the windows where she found Constantina. Her friend was wearing in her dressing gown and slippers, the forgotten book in her hand explaining the purple reading glasses perched on her nose.

"Oh, hi, Connie," Lily yawned deeply. "Why are you awake so early?"

"I couldn't sleep," Constantina said, her voice dripping with sweetness, as she emerged from the shadow of the windowsill.

"Really?" Lily asked lazily, her mind wandering up the stairs to her warm, inviting bed.

"Yes, you see I got to thinking about what you said last night about Remus and how I treated him and I found myself in agreement with you. So at 3:30 I went to talk to him, to apologize, and he wasn't in his bed. I wondered where he could've gotten to. You wouldn't happen to know where Remus went last night, would you Lily?"

Lily's mind came crashing back to her body as her stomach began churning and her cheeks began to burn.

"No idea, maybe he fell asleep writing his essay in the library," Lily suggested quickly, her mind frantic with lies, excuses, _anything_.

"I thought that too, so I came down here with my book to wait for him to come back," Constantina said, an ironic smile plastered across her face, its meaning not lost on Lily.

"Oh," Lily replied lamely.

"But I must've fallen asleep, because the next thing I remember is hearing someone curse their way through the common room. I figured it might be Remus, so I went up to the boys' room, but yet again there was no one there. I knew James and Sirius were in detention, and Peter was serving detention as well. I figured Remus must have gone to check on them after realizing that he fell asleep in the library. So I went back up to our dormitory to get a couple hours sleep before breakfast, but as got into bed do you know what I saw?" she asked, her voice was now so sweet, it was making Lily sick at the sound of every syllable.

Lily didn't respond, just stared at her feet and waited for the explosion.

"I'll tell you what I saw. Your bed empty. Now I became suspicious finding my boyfriend's bed empty and my best friend's bed empty for no reason. So, I once again found myself in the common room, but this time I was so agitated I couldn't sit down," Constantina cried. Her intonation had changed; it was now so hard and cold it sent a chill down Lily's spine.

"I was pacing and pacing, going out of my mind, and as I kept trying to convince myself that Remus would never do that to me, that _you _would never do that to me, _something_ caught my eye out the window. It was moving across the grounds towards the castle."

Lily closed her eyes hard.

"I thought it was strange, at 5:20 in the morning for Hagrid to be up, but as I moved closer to the window to get a better look, and I saw that it wasn't Hagrid. No, it was two people with their arms around each other!"

"Connie, before you get angry…" Lily started.

"Before I get angry?" Constantina screeched, as she strode towards Lily, her glasses going askew, "You're a few hours too late for that, Lily!"

"It's not what you think, Constantina, not what you think at all," Lily said, her voice rushed as she held her hands in front of her in a protective gesture.

"No, I think it's _exactly_ what I think it is," Constantina howled.

"No, it's not," Lily said, her vision beginning to blur as tears formed in her eyes.

"How _could_ you do this to me, Lily?" Constantina asked, tears pouring out of her own eyes, obvious hurt written across her face.

"I told you, Connie, it's not what you think," Lily's voice shook with every word she said.

"Then what is it, Lily? Because, I want to believe you, but for some reason, I can't!" Constantina said, her eyes searching Lily's for answers.

"I… I… I can't tell you," Lily said, "It's not my place."

"Of course it isn't," Constantina huffed, angrily.

"But, but, Remus'll tell you!" Lily said, loudly, searching for something to say to placate her friend.

"He better, otherwise… I don't know what I'm going to do!" Constantina said warningly.

"I'm sure Remus'll tell you," Lily said, waving her arms as though to close the subject.

"Remus'll tell who what?" came the soft voice of Remus Lupin through the portrait hole. His thin frame emerged into the common room. Some of the color had returned to his face, and the newest gashes were no longer visible. Though he looked as though he could move under his own power now, he still looked as if he needed a good long sleep. As he made his way to the center of the common room Constantina wiped her face clear of tears, and Lily once again found a spot on the floor to be preoccupied with.

"What are you doing up so early, Constantina?" Remus asked curiously, trying to remain as casual as possible.

"I couldn't sleep," Constantina replied coldly. "Much like Lily."

"Lily couldn't sleep?" Remus asked trying to remain as nonchalant as possible.

"She was _otherwise occupied_," Constantina bit out through gritted teeth.

"Oh, really?" Remus asked, the color in his face beginning to rise as he finally looked over at Lily.

"She seems to have disappeared last night," Constantina bit out again, "Just… like… you…"

"Now, Constantina, before you jump to conclusions," Remus began, taking a few steps towards her, trying to head off her anger.

"You're both a little late for that!" Constantina replied dryly, throwing her hands in the air.

"Constantina, please allow me to explain!" Remus said, trying to remain calm.

"How stupid do you two think I am?" Constantina asked loudly, as though she were addressing the walls instead of the people in front of her. "Did you rehearse what you'd say if you ever got caught! I'm sure you practiced this thoroughly, and your excuse is going to be brilliant, of course!"

"Constantina, you need to calm down," Remus said in a placating tone, placing his hands on her shoulders.

"I need to calm down?" Constantina asked, her body going rigid under his grip. "You're kidding right? I just found out you two have been sneaking around behind my back, and you're telling me to calm down!" she hollered.

"Constantina, I need to tell you something," Remus said, now following Lily's lead and staring at the floor.

"Oh, this should be good," Constantina sneered, folding her arms across her chest, and popping her hip, waiting for what he had to say.

"I think you should sit," Remus suggest gently, attempting to guide her to an armchair.

"I rather like standing, actually," Constantina scoffed, her nostrils flaring with every word.

"I… I'm…" Remus started.

"Yes?" Constantina said sharply.

"I'm a…"

"What are you Remus? A liar? A cheater? These are things I already knew before you professed your need for a revelation," Constantina continued to mock.

"Remus?" Lily spoke up, finally having torn her eyes from the spot next to her left shoe and looking at Remus. He was gripping the back of the armchair now, the color drained completely from his face. Lily felt a flare of anger rise within her, he was still so weak from his transformation and this kind of emotional upheaval was not helping at all.

He looked up into her eyes when he heard his name. Lily felt her heart break as she saw the shimmer from tears in his eyes.

"Remus, do you want me to tell her?" Lily asked quietly.

He shook his head and sank slowly into the chair.

"Constantina," Remus said, his quiet voice incredibly audible in the tense silence of the room. "I am…a werewolf."

The split second before Remus' confession allowed a great number of possible reactions to flash through Lily's mind: an awkward silence, a trembling 'Really?', and maybe if Merlin was working in their favor she would have a moment of realization and would accept him for who he was.

Never in her wildest dreams did Lily think Constantina would _laugh_.

She froze as her friend's cold, almost cruel manner. It rang in her ears, and goose bumps appeared all along her arms and neck.

"A _werewolf_?" Constantina laughed out, "You honestly want me to believe that?"

"It's true, Constantina," Remus said quietly, ripping his eyes from the crimson carpet to meet hers, his composed manner back in check. "I was bitten by Fenrir Greyback when I was a small child."

"Remus, you couldn't possibly be…" Constantina's laughter died away in disbelief.

"Then explain to me why no matter how much I eat, I always appear malnourished, why I disappear every month during the night of the full moon, and the next day always look a bit worse for the wear. Explain _that_ to me," Remus said slowly and purposefully.

The silence that followed seemed to last an eternity.

Lily wondered if the sun had set and risen again, within the span of time it took for Constantina to sputter out a response.

"Your family," she began to stutter out, as realization came crashing down upon her, "Your family is really sick."

"No, they are not," Remus said gently. "Just me."

"It's not possible," Constantina breathed, as she began to shift awkwardly in place. She looked as though she had just been slapped across the face.

"It is quite possible," Remus said, "And I'm sorry I didn't tell you earlier, it's just… it's very hard for me to trust people with this specific secret.

"But you told Lily," Constantina said automatically, as though that's what she had been thinking all along.

"That was an accident," Remus said, shrugging. "Lily grew suspicious and rightfully so."

"But you still told her before me and I'm your _girlfriend_!" Constantina cried out in outrage.

"Constantina, he didn't mean to, I wouldn't stop badgering him until he would tell me. He practically ran to the boys' dormitory after our patrols," Lily said, trying to be helpful.

"Wait…"Constantina said quickly, her voice tight, holding up a hand to silence Lily.

"During patrols?" she asked rhetorically, "But you only go on patrols with James this year! That would mean you knew before now!"

Lily and Remus remained quiet. Both were at a loss as to why Constantina was obsessing over Lily knowing Remus was a werewolf before her, instead of the fact that Remus was a werewolf to begin with.

"You knew and you never told me, or Electra, or Spencer!" Constantina said, pointing an accusing finger at Lily.

"It wasn't my secret to tell," Lily said defensively.

"Oh, not that again," Constantina cried out, tossing her arms into the air as though in submission.

"Yes, that again," Lily yelled back, her anger beginning to kick in. "Who knows that piece of information is for Remus to decide and no one else!"

"So, you didn't trust me?" Constantina switched gears, turning on her heels, and closing in on Remus.

"I trusted you, but this… this is… I can't just tell anyone this," Remus said, his voice pleading.

"I'm your girlfriend, I'm not just anyone!" Constantina bellowed.

"Constantina! If you don't shut up, you're going to wake everyone in the damn castle up!" Lily hissed taking a step toward her friend.

"I WILL BE AS LOUD AS I WANT TO!" Constantina screeched, as she shoved Lily roughly.

"Constantina," Remus said urgently, coming to standing in front of Lily. "Please, calm down."

"No!" Constantina yelled, as her fist collided painfully with Remus' chest. "I cannot believe this is really happening."

"Please, Constantina," Remus said gently, clutching her wrist in his. "Just calm down a little, and we can talk about this."

"Don't touch me," Constantina snapped, jerking her arm out of his hold.

"Constantina!" Lily reprimanded, shocked at her friends behavior. She had always delighted when Remus would hold her, she didn't see why that should have changed. Just because Remus was a werewolf didn't' change the person he was every other night of the month.

"I… I can't deal with this," Constantina began to ramble to herself.

"Don't be irrational," Remus said, reaching out to her once more.

"I said don't touch me!" Constantina said harshly, her voice hoarse from screaming.

"Constantina! What is wrong with you?" Lily cried out, her eyes wide as her friend slapped Remus' hand away with a resounding crack.

"Just don't touch me!" Constantina said, as she back unwittingly into the wall, fear in her large eyes.

"Are you… are you afraid of me?" Remus asked, the hurt evident in his voice.

Constantina did not answer right away, her eyes shifting between the two people in front of her.

"Yes," Constantina whispered, unable to look Remus directly in the eye.

"Constantina, you're being ridiculous. Remus is Remus!" Lily said sternly. She knew that Constantina had led a privileged life with rich, aristocratic parents, but her friend had never been haughty or seemed to act as though she were better than everyone else. She couldn't believe how intolerant her friend was being.

"I need to think," Constantina said to the empty space to the left of Remus as she began to turn towards the portrait hole.

"Constantina, _please_…" Remus pleaded, reaching his hand out to her.

"Get away from me, werewolf!" she snapped, running up the stone stairs and out of sight.

"CONSTANTINA! HOW DARE YOU!" Lily fumed as she stalked toward the stairs feeling as though the world had suddenly flipped upside down. It was like finding out that a precious object you treasured had been hiding a curse inside of it the entire time you possessed it.

"Lily…just… just let her go," Remus called quietly from behind her, his stance admitting total defeat.

"But, but…" Lily sputtered, but before she could finish her sentence the portrait hole closed with a snap.

- - -

By dinner that night the school was abuzz with gossip of the fight that occurred that morning in Gryffindor common room. Some stories contained an all out witches' duel between Lily and Constantina, and others a fist fight between the two girls, usually over James Potter. Remus was mentioned here or there, but no one would ever accuse the gentlest of the Marauders of any kind of anger or violence. Of course, he was a part of the story, usually breaking up a very detailed cat fight, but never the subject of the fight itself.

But all the stories seemed to end the same way: with Constantina exiting the front door of the Entrance Hall with her mother and father beside her, and her trunk in tow for the entire school to see.

No one would ask Lily or Remus what happened.

Besides, the fact that Remus was no where to be found, and Lily looked as though she would kill the next person that so much as looked at her the wrong way, the students found that speculation was far more fun.

Electra and Spencer had taken the news of Constantia's unexpected departure hard. After Lily, with permission from Remus, had explained, in great detail the morning's argument, the girls though still upset that their friend hadn't even said so much as good bye, were positively irate.

They had, of course, told Remus he could have been a mountain troll for all they cared. He was their friend and in Spencer's words, "Accepting people for their flaws is what makes you friends in the first place."

Lily hadn't quite decided how to feel about Constantina's…betrayal. So, she hovered in between blistering righteous anger and nasty frustration. She wouldn't talk to anyone who wasn't Remus, James, Sirius, Electra, Peter, or Spencer, she just glared.

Remus was completely beside himself. Usually after a transformation he could eat… well, like a wolf, but he had no appetite. He didn't speak, no matter who spoke to him. He had holed himself up in his bed, but no matter how exhausted he was, he couldn't sleep.

Sirius, James and Peter had no idea what to do or say to console their friend. Sirius, of course, made inappropriate jokes, while James joined in heartily, and the two continuously told him that he definitely deserved better. They both felt wholly responsible for the episode and apologized profusely, while Peter sat in silence nodding his head here and there, his mouth hanging slightly open.

After a week without Constantina, the girls and the boys, with the exception of Remus, seemed to be moving on. The group laughed, and joked, and talked just as they had before, just as seven now instead of eight.

But no one dare speak her name in front of Remus.

Remus Lupin had always been known as the quietest of the Marauders, but lately it would have seemed he had gone mute. He made no noise whatsoever. When his friends talked to him, he would nod or shake his head, maybe wave his hand or smile, but he seemed incapable of speech.

After another four days of this horrific behavior from their best friend James and Sirius presented him with a gift.

"We know it's not your style, but we figure, you're about to hit the final step in the grieving process," James said as he clapped Remus on the back as Sirius handed him the bottle of Fire Whiskey in the seventh year boys dormitory.

"And Merlin knows that step is not manageable unless one is completely, and utterly trashed," Sirius said brightly, trying his best to raise his friends spirits.

Remus, who was sitting on his bed, twirled the bottle in his hands as he stared at the label, then he looked up at his friends.

"Thanks."

"HE SPEAKS!" Sirius yelled jubilantly.

"Did I just hear Mooney's voice for the first time in… how long's it been Sirius?" James said as though a miracle had just occurred.

"It has felt like eons," Sirius said dramatically, falling onto the bed, and throwing his hand across his forehead.

Remus laughed gently at his friends antics.

"We really are sorry, Mooney, for not being able to be there for you, during this… uhm… period in your life," James apologized awkwardly, feeling utterly inept when it came to deep, meaningful conversation.

"I had Peter," Remus said lightly.

"And his sense of humor's returned as well," Sirius said, his bark of laughter following.

"Good to have you back Mooney," James said, a smile on his face.

"But, alas, dearest Jamesie and I must serve our final detention," Sirius finished for his friend, as he began walking to the door.

"Do you honestly think I'm going to drink this?" Remus asked, pointing at the bottle as he held it up.

"Maybe, maybe not, that's for you to decide," Sirius said slyly, winking and shutting the door with a snap.

- - -

Remus had been trying to sleep for four hours, but he couldn't get _her_ out of his mind. He tore the curtains around his bed out of his way, slipped his feet into his slippers, grabbed the bottle on his night stand and ruffled through James' trunk for the invisibility cloak. Concealing himself under it, he made his way lightly down the stone stairs, and quickly through the common room. He padded his way toward the kitchens as silently as possible.

Remus readjusted his grip on the bottle in order to reach up and tickle the pear. Climbing inside the brilliantly lit room, Remus stopped in his tracks.

Spencer was bent over a table with an entire chocolate cake in front of her, fork in hand, and was eating as though she would die if she didn't continue to gorge. The noise he made as he entered the kitchen must've caught her attention, because she looked up to see who was interrupting her time with her beloved solver of all ills. When she saw him she picked up the plate which the cake was resting on and held it out to him. "Cake?" she asked, a small smile playing across her lips.

"Yes, please," he smiled gently.

"Grab a spoon," Spencer responded, tossing the plate back onto the table, with rattling force.

Remus went over to a large cabinet to his left, and opened every drawer and cupboard until he found a fork, and joined Spencer at the counter, picking at the cake.

"So, what are you doing here?" Remus asked, as he shoved a forkful of chocolate cake into his mouth. He didn't believe had ever seen the peacemaker of their little band in such a forceful mood.

"The same thing you are, I believe," Spencer said, pointing to the bottle of Fire Whiskey Remus had set on the white counter with her fork.

"Ah, that," Remus said briskly. "That would be a gift from James and Sirius."

"James and Sirius," Spencer laughed, "Forever the thoughtful ones of the group. Who else would know how to drown their sorrows better than those two, seeing as neither can gain the attention of the girl the fancy?"

Remus laughed, and continued to eat.

"What are you waiting for?" Spencer asked at a few moments, standing up fully, "Crack that bad boy open."

"Are you serious?" Remus asked, raising an eyebrow.

"No, I'm Spencer, now open the damn bottle," Spencer said, extending her arm across the table. Snatching the bottle up, she began to take the plastic seal on the top off.

"Spencer, I wasn't really planning on drinking it," Remus said as he watched his friend skeptically.

"Then you wouldn't have brought it," Spencer remarked, not stopping in her mission to open the bottle. "I'm a very observant person, Remus. I know that you usually don't take action unless you've committed yourself to doing something. So," she said, taking another mouthful of cake and continuing to try and loosen the cork, "why did you decide to come down here and drink yourself silly?"

"Because, I… I couldn't stop thinking about her," Remus said quietly, tearing his eyes from his friend, and staring at a spot on the counter in shame.

"Me too," Spencer said, as she morosely took another bite of cake. Remus looked at her carefully, then threw caution to the wind.

"May I have that please?," he said, pulling the bottle out of Spencer's grasp, "Foozie?" he called for the small house elf.

"Yes, Master Remus?" Foozie said, appearing, literally, out of thin air.

"I need a corkscrew, and two glasses, please," Remus said gently, smiling at the elf.

"Yes, sir, Master Remus, sir," Foozie replied, without even bothering to look at the label on the bottle Remus was holding. She ran to the back of the kitchen behind various counters, and tables, and returned in under a minute with two glasses and a cork screw.

"Thank you, Foozie," Remus thanked the elf.

"Yeah, thanks, Foozie," Spencer concurred as she grabbed the glasses from the little elf, and smiled.

"What is Master Remus, and his friend drinking, sir?" Foozie asked curiously, her purple eyes peering up at the bottle in Remus's hands as he fumbled with the cork screw.

"Something we shouldn't be drinking on school grounds," he replied, his concentration fixed on the bottle.

"Oh, Master Remus!" Foozie gasped, "I is not thinking this is a good idea!"

"Foozie, it's been a very long two weeks," Remus said gently, as he finally got the cork screw to work in his favor. "Spencer and I need to… relax."

"Okay, Master Remus, but if you is getting caught do not tell Professor Dumbledore I is helping you," Foozie said quickly.

"Of course, Foozie, thank you," Remus said, as he got the cork out of the bottle, and poured himself and Spencer very small glasses.

"Yes, Master Remus," Foozie said, smiling uncertainly and bowing extremely low, before running away quickly, muttering to herself.

Remus handed Spencer her glass.

"Here's to forgetting," he said, before their glasses clinked, and they both downed the orange liquid in one swallow. The whiskey scorched its way down his throat. _Fire whiskey indeed_, he thought to himself dryly, _but not a bad after taste_. Spencer swallowed hard, and closed her eyes. She swayed on the spot, but seemed stable after a few seconds.

"More," she said sternly as she slammed her glass on the counter.

Remus, never one to turn down a lady's request, did as she asked.

As time progressed Remus continued to pour himself and Spencer shots of Fire Whiskey, but the drinks seemed to be getting progressively larger and closer together.

After about an hour, they had both succeeded in getting absolutely drunk.

"This is fun, we should do this again," Spencer commented airily, as she sat on the floor leaning up against the counter, Remus sitting next to her on her right.

"We'll discuss that tomorrow. Would you like some more?" he said, his eyes crossing slightly.

"Aye, aye, captain," Spencer giggled, as she mock saluted him accidentally hitting him in the forehead which caused the two to laugh outrageously for another five minutes.

"It doesn't burn anymore," Spencer said cheerfully as she smacked her lips and took another drink.

"I think…" Remus said, taking her glass from her, "that means you've had enough."

"Probably," Spencer giggled again.

"So, you couldn't stop thinking about her, too?" Spencer asked, looking at him curiously.

"No matter what I do I can't get her off my mind, her hair, her eyes, the way she talks, everything about her," Remus said, his head lolling to one side. Spencer nodded in a commiserating manner.

"But, it's not like I can be with her," he continued sloppily, "Because she's James' girl."

"Wait… what?" Spencer said loudly, whipping her head towards him, swearing as her head hit the handle on the cupboard behind her.

"I can't be with her because she James'," Remus reiterated, his speech slurring.

"Wait, you're not talking about Constantina are you?" Spencer asked, her drunken mind having trouble processing the information he was telling her.

"No, I'm not talking about Constantina, I'm talking about Lily," Remus slurred drunkenly, as he tapped her on the nose playfully.

"Oh, ok," Spencer said brightly.

"I mean, it' not like I don't want them to be happy, and I know they'll be happy together, but part of me…" he trailed off.

"Loves her more than you should," Spencer finished for him, her voice sad.

"Yes," he breathed heavily, as he looked at her. "How'd you know that?"

"It's the same with me and Sirius," Spencer said, taking the bottle out Remus's hands, and putting it to her lips. "No matter what I do I'm never going to be good enough for him."

"I know that feeling," Remus said, snatching the bottle out of her hands, and repeating her motion.

"He'll never realize that we're perfect for each other, because all he sees when he looks at me is his breast friend," Spencer slurred, but as she said it, Remus began to chuckle.

"What?" she asked incredulously.

"You just said breast!" he laughed as though he were five years old.

"I did, didn't I?" she said as though she were amazed with herself, and she too began to giggle like a child.

"Wow, I'm funny," Spencer said lightly. "But anyway… like I was saying, whenever Sirius sees me all he sees is his best friend, and when he sees Electra he sees… well I don't know what he sees, but I'm sure it's not anything like me," Spencer sputtered incoherently.

"Wait, what?" Remus said loudly, holding up his hands as though to bring a Quidditch game to a halt.

"I dunno," Spencer laughed.

"So, wait, I'm confused, why are you down here?" Remus asked, taking another swig of the now almost empty bottle of Fire Whiskey.

"Constantina, Sirius, life, Regu…" she trailed off abruptly.

"Regu what?" he asked.

"Regu… regu… regulations? For stuff?" she guessed, hoping he'd believe her in his drunken stupor.

"Oh, alright," he said.

"And why'd you come down here?" Spencer asked again, already forgetting his reason.

"Because… because… I feel bad," Remus said, ashamedly, "I should be upset about Constantina leaving, but I'm not. I'm… relieved. And I shouldn't feel that way. Instead, I can't stop thinking about Lily!"

"And that's bad?" Spencer asked, her eyes beginning to roll into the back of her head.

"Yes, it is, because James loves her and she loves James, and I can't be in the middle of that, it's just too messy," Remus finished, as he yawned.

"What's too messy?" Spencer asked, her eyes closing slowly as she leaned into Remus, her head resting on his shoulder.

"All of us. Me liking Lily. Lily like James. And James Liking Lily. You liking Sirius. Sirius liking Electra. And Electra liking Sirius. It's all too complicated," Remus said throwing his arms in the air.

"Mmhmm, complicated," Spencer said, nodding her head into his shoulder before drifting off to sleep.

Remus continued to sit, with Spencer's head resting on his shoulder, before he too fell asleep.

The next morning the two woke up with throbbing head aches, and sore limbs from sleeping on the floor. In the future they would never discuss what had happened that night, but from that night on they shared a quiet understanding.

When James and Sirius later asked Remus what had happened to that bottle of Fire Whiskey they had given him, Remus just smiled softly, and told them he had lost it.

* * *

A/N: Hey everyone, don't forget to review. The more reviews we get, the more motivated we might be to post another four chapters of this story before Christmas. That's right FOUR CHAPTERS before Christmas. 


	10. The Quiet Things No One Ever Knows

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Chapter 10:  
**The Quiet Things No One Ever Knows**

James Potter was bored. There was no other way of putting it. Sirius was off chasing Electra, and Remus was still skulking about Constantina. Lily had made her exit from the Gryffindor common room. She claimed that she was that it was too hard to concentrate on her charms essay with James breathing down her neck and she was going to the library to finish it and it was under no circumstances to follow her there. Peter was always off doing some mysteriously enthralling activity without them these days. And Spencer… well, he had no clue where she was.

James was now sprawled out across his favorite scarlet couch in the Gryffindor common room, falling in and out of consciousness, his hazel eyes fixed on the crackling fire. His eyes were once again closing droopily when he felt someone push his legs off the couch unceremoniously.

"Budge over, Potter," came Spencer's voice in his groggy state, answering his previous question as to her whereabouts.

"Eh," he replied ever so eloquently.

"Where is everyone?" she asked him as he slowly returned to complete consciousness.

"Writing papers, being miserable, chasing after someone, getting away from the person who is chasing them, and I don't know," James listed off the whereabouts of his friends one by one.

"Ah," Spencer said, turning her attention to the fire in front of her and tucking a slightly rebellious strand of mahogany hair behind her ear.

"Where were you?" James asked, propping his legs on the back of the sofa.

"Me? I was meeting with McGonagall about what I plan on doing following graduation," she replied dryly, as she resumed James' previous staring contest with the fireplace.

"I totally forgot about those!" James exclaimed, raking his hand through his hair, which Spencer noted already looked like someone had put a Shocking Static Hex on it. "I don't even know when mine is. How'd yours go?"

"Ah, it was alright," she sighed heavily, "I mean, I haven't really thought about a normal life after this place, with the war and all."

"Yeah, I know," James breathed out.

"McGonagall asked me what I wanted to be and I couldn't think of anything," she laughed humorlessly as she pushed her legs underneath herself for warmth.

"All I could think of was . . . wanting to be happy," she ended quietly, the orange light dancing in her eyes.

"I think that's what we all want," James muttered, adjusting the pillow underneath his head uncomfortably. He had never been the best when it came to having serious conversations with people. He usually just ended up making an ass of himself while attempting to be sincere so he avoided it all together.

"What do you want to do, James?" Spencer asked, tearing her eyes from the fire, and settling on the boy at the other end of the couch. A small smile played across his lips before he answered.

"When I was little, every morning I'd watch my parents get ready for work. My dad in his field officer uniform, my mum the same, with her healers badge on the arm, and I was just in awe of them. When their friends would come over for dinner parties, they'd tell me all about these amazing missions my parents would go on and all these people they had helped, and how proud of them I should be," he said quietly. Spencer smiled gently at him.

"All I've wanted since I was five years old was to make them proud," he said, staring her directly in the eye.

"And you think being an auror would do that?" Spencer asked curiously. Truth be told she had never really spoke with James in a one-to-one setting before and she found herself displeased with the fact that she knew so little about someone she considered a friend.

"Yes… and no," James answered slowly, "I know they'd be proud of me no matter what I do, but the look in my dad's eyes when he talks about the old days… I know he would love to tell people that his son was following in his footsteps," James said glossily.

"The old days?" Spencer echoed, turning herself on the couch so she had a better view of James' face.

"Yeah. In our third year he got hurt pretty badly so he had to quit field work and take a permanent desk job," James replied. "He wasn't even supposed to be on that mission anyway. You see, once you reach a certain age—_if_ you reach a certain age— they don't allow you to go out on missions anymore. Because your reflexes aren't as great, you could be endangering your team… but my dad… he couldn't resist."

"What about your mum?" Spencer asked, her eyes transfixed on James.

"She retired when I was ten to spend my last year at home with me. Now she helps train healers on different squads," he answered, shifting in his seat.

"That's really amazing. Does your dad still work in the auror offices?" Spencer asked, her curiosity growing.

"Actually," James sighed heavily, "he retired a couple weeks back. They're going to give him a huge award for services to the wizarding world or something during the Ministry's annual Christmas gala-thing. My mum sent me the owl the other day telling me that it would be 'nice if I would be there.'" He rolled his eyes with an affectionate smile. "In mum-speak that means I have to go."

"That should be nice, you can meet Aurors and make connections," Spencer pointed out in a manner that made James wonder if Spencer had somehow met his mother and learned to impersonate her overnight.

"Yeah, that's not the problem," James groaned. "I have to bring a date."

"Why not just take Sirius?" Spencer laughed, as James shoved her leg with his toe in playful irritation.

"That'd go over well," James laughed, the mental picture of himself and Sirius walking into the large party arm-in-arm playing out in his mind.

"Just ask Lily," Spencer said in her soft earnest voice. "It's not like she'll say no."

"I dunno, Spence," James said, his voice uncertain.

"_Please_," Spencer scoffed, shaking her head and causing her long brown ponytail to whip out with the movement.

"I don't want to mess up our friendship by asking her out," James sighed, running his hand through his hair once more.

"Like I said before, it's not like she'd say no," Spencer coaxed. "What do you have to lose?"

"My dignity…" James replied morosely, an image of Lily's large emerald eyes filled with amused pity almost shimmering in the air in front of him.

"Like you had that to begin with…" Spencer shot back, poking him in the knee.

"Haha, very funny," James mocked.

"Just ask her out so you can date and then get married, and have beautiful children, will you?" Spencer sighed amusedly, drumming her fingers in an exaggeratedly impatient manner on his leg.

"Okay, okay," James submitted dramatically. "I'll be sure to buy the ring before the party that way I can kill two birds with one stone."

"Just do me a favor, will you?" Spencer asked, sincerity flooding back into her tone.

"Huh?" James asked, raising an eyebrow. "Name our first daughter after you?"

"Merlin, no," Spencer cried indignantly. "I was going to say that you should give your kids nice, normal names!"

"Wait, what?" James asked, confused by this request.

"My parents named me Spencer. Electra's parents named her _Stephen_. Sirius' parents named him after a _star. _Please give all the members of the Potter brood _normal_ names," Spencer pleaded.

"Any suggestions?" James inquired, amused by his friend's interest in what he planned to name his children. He was _almost_ embarrassed at how easy it was to picture small toddlers stumbling around with messy red hair and bright green eyes.

"I don't know. Something that can be easily pronounced. And you have to be able to tell the gender of the kid right away," Spencer exclaimed, throwing her arms in the air.

"So, Jamie, Alex, Taylor, and Jesse are out of the question?" James teased.

"No, those are fine… but maybe even more… normal," Spencer suggested, twisting the end of her ponytail around her finger.

"Then what do you propose Oh Wise, Namer-of-the-Children?" James jested.

"Oh, I don't know… maybe… Harry?" Spencer guessed, pulling a name out thin air and smiling with pleasure at the simplicity of it.

"Harry?" James laughed uproariously.

"What's wrong with Harry?" Spencer inquired slapping James' leg.

"It's so… boring," James said blandly.

"If you were called ridiculous nicknames your entire life, you would be _begging_ for a boring name," Spencer pointed out.

"But, I _do_ have ridiculous nicknames!" James defended himself.

"Like?" Spencer asked, her eyes challenging.

"Sirius has been calling me _Pudding_, lately," James said darkly, scowling as he remembered the looks the younger students had given him the last time Sirius had sang it in the middle of the Charms corridor.

"But, that's not based off your actual name," Spencer pointed out.

"Jamesie," James shot back.

"Spen Ben," Spencer bit out.

A moment of silence fell upon them during which they stared at each other challengingly, while contemplating who had the worse plight.

"You win," James said quietly.

"That's what I thought," Spencer crowed triumphantly.

"But, Harry?" James asked incredulously.

"Yes, Harry," Spencer exclaimed loudly. "It's nice and simple. Harry Potter. Good, non-ridiculous name."

"Fine," James exhaled heavily, throwing an arm over his eyes as if he had just lost a major battle.

"Now, go find Lily, and ask her to this damn thing!" Spencer commanded, shoving James off the couch, towards the portrait hole.

"I'm going, I'm going," James muttered, as he composed himself, straightening out his oxford, and tie, nervously ruffling his hair, and walking towards the portrait hole.

As Spencer curled up into a ball, she heard heavy foot falls approach her.

"Does it really have to be Harry?" James asked one more time before quickly turning around to leave once more at the look on her face.

"YES! Harry!" Spencer hollered, throwing a pillow at his retreating back, as he finally left to find the blissfully oblivious future mother of his children.

- - -

"Go away, Black!" Lily muttered through gritted teeth, pressing her quill down so hard that a small hole was left in her parchment.

"Just tell me where she is!" Sirius pleaded with her, turning on his best puppy-dog expression.

"For the love of Merlin, Black! Get off your knees!" Lily exclaimed after finally ripping her gaze from her charms essay to catch a glimpse of Sirius Black, kneeling at her side, clutching her chair, with that damnable look on his face.

"I know you know where she is!" Sirius accused Lily loudly.

"I have no idea where anyone is right now!" Lily yelled, a few of her firey curls frizzing wildly.

"SHHHH!"

"Sorry," Lily apologized to the room as whole.

She had come to the library to escape the antics of James Potter, only to be found and annoyed by a very upset Sirius Black. She had sat down a half hour ago telling herself she would not leave this table until she was done with her essay, until a distraught Sirius Black came rushing up to her table begging for the whereabouts of Electra. Now the prospect of finishing her essay was becoming bleaker by the moment.

"Lily, just tell me where she is and I'll leave you alone!" Sirius begged.

"Stop begging like a dog, Sirius, it doesn't suit you," Lily reprimanded her friend, pulling him up from the floor. "Alright," she amended, "maybe it does."

"You say that as if it's a bad thing," Sirius said with a hint of defiance.

"Whatever, Black. Just leave me alone, okay? I don't know where Electra is, she's probably at the Pitch blowing off some steam or something," Lily suggested off-handedly, as she got back to her essay, scribbling down an incomprehensible sentence.

"Already checked," Sirius said immediately, sitting in the chair across from Lily.

"Kitchens?"

"Not there."

"The Great Hall?"

"Already checked."

"Dungeons?"

"Why would she be in the Dungeons?" Sirius asked.

"I don't know! I'm just listing off places so you'll leave me alone," Lily murmured, looking up at him pointedly. She had just read the same paragraph in her charms text for the fifth time in a row.

"Why does she feel like she has to hide from me?" Sirius asked dejectedly, laying his head down on the table in bleak despair.

"Oh, I don't know, maybe because you chase her!" Lily bit out, her frustration mounting rapidly.

"If she just told me to leave her alone, I would!" Sirius defended himself.

"She tells you that everyday!" Lily said more loudly than she meant to, selecting another book without checking the title and opening it upside down, her hair coming loose from her pony tail at the severity of her movements.

"SHHHH!"

"Sorry," Lily apologized to the students around her again.

"I would leave her alone if she told me to leave her alone, and she actually _meant_ it," Sirius clarified, propping his chin on his forearm.

"What if she does mean it?" Lily screeched, slamming her charms book closed and giving up on the essay altogether.

"I would be able to tell," Sirius said earnestly, "Her eyes don't flash when she tells me to go away, they kind of twinkle, like she _wants _me to follow her!"

"Please, Black," Lily chuckled lightly at her friend's statement.

"What?" he asked confused.

"Why would she tell you to go away if she wanted to be around you?" Lily asked waving her arms.

"I don't know. Why do you pretend you don't like James?" he threw out slyly.

"Because I'm afraid of getting hurt!"

The minute the words had left her mouth Lily mentally slapped herself repeatedly for falling into his trap. She groaned loudly, and then collapsed into a lump on the table, her head buried in her arms.

"I knew it, I knew it!" Sirius chanted with glee, jumping out of his chair and dancing around wildly.

"SHHHHH!" the group of surrounding students hushed the pair angrily.

"Sorry," Sirius said having the grace to blush at his childish behavior and sitting back down quickly.

"I can't believe I fell for that!" Lily moaned into her arms.

"I can't believe that's all it took for you to admit it," Sirius smiled smugly, folding his arms across his chest.

"Ahh!" Lily groaned inwardly again. This was the last thing she needed; how could she have been so careless as to let it slip to Sirius Black, of all people, Sirius-Bloody-Black, that she had actually _fallen_ for James Potter!

"Don't worry, I won't tell him," Sirius said gently, ruffling her hair.

"Wait, what?" Lily asked wildly, her mind not able to believe what she had just heard.

"I won't tell James you're madly in love with him. I'll let you do that," Sirius said cheekily, a large smile spread across his face.

"Thanks…I think?" Lily said slowly.

"That's what friends are for, right?" Sirius said airily.

"I can not believe I fell for that," Lily sighed heavily. "I'm pathetic!"

"No, no you're not," Sirius laughed lightly, "You're just finally accepting your long suppressed, deeply seated feelings for him."

"Hold on," Lily said quickly, her head snapping up from in between her arms, "When did you become so… understanding?"

"I don't know," Sirius shrugged, looking down at his hands as he twiddled his thumbs, "I just… I just don't think your feelings for each other should be taken so lightly. I mean, all I've heard him talk about since we were 11 was how in love he is with you, and I knew you'd finally come around. And, I just…I think you guys needs to take your time with this, because even I can tell… it's right."

"Wow, Sirius," Lily breathed, "That… that… that was deep."

"I know," Sirius sighed, scratching his temple.

"What's gotten into you? Are you feeling okay?" Lily asked frantically as she scrambled across the table to put her hand to his forehead as to take his temperature.

"I'm fine Tiger Lily," Sirius laughed lightly, pushing her gently back into her seat.

"Then why are you acting like this?" Lily asked softly.

"Like what?" Sirius asked grabbing her charms text and flipping through it, refusing to meet her gaze.

"Like someone who isn't Sirius Black," she said bluntly, taking his arm to get his attention.

"What's going on?" she asked, her green eyes probing his gray ones for an answer.

"Nothing," Sirius said firmly, still refusing to meet her stare.

"Sirius!" Lily reprimanded him sternly.

"It's nothing, Lily," Sirius muttered quietly, finally meeting her eyes. His strong, usually confident gray eyes held no mischief, no twinkle, just a cool uncertainty.

"Yes, it is. If it were nothing you wouldn't look like someone just cut all your hair off!" Lily scolded.

"Okay, that's not even funny to joke about," Sirius squealed, grabbing his hair dramatically to make sure it was still there.

"See, that's more like the Sirius I know," Lily chuckled lightly.

"I've just decided, with everything that's been happening, that I need to be more _serious_," Sirius said, an ironic smile spreading across his face.

"Sirius, did you just make a serious-Sirius joke?" Lily inquired, laughing lightly.

"I think I did, Lily, I think I did," Sirius replied, laughing at himself.

"Things really are changing around here, aren't they?" Lily asked softly.

"Yeah, but for the better, or for worse?" Sirius added, voicing the question she had been unable to answer for weeks.

- - -

She had finally gotten away from him; at least she hoped she had. He had chased her through the Great Hall, through the kitchens, around the Quidditch Pitch, up the Southern Most Tower, down the hidden back stairwell, where she doubled back and somehow ended up in the Astronomy Tower where she was now sitting on the hard, cold, stone floor, her back to the wall breathing a sigh of relief.

Yes, she and Sirius were now getting along.

Yes, they were friends, but she didn't want to put her guard down too quickly and let him in.

Yes, he was charming.

Yes, he was _very_ good-looking.

Yes, he made her laugh, and when he looked at her made her feel like she was the only one in the room, but sometimes, she just didn't know about him.

"Sirius Black, what am I gonna do with you?" she mumbled to herself, as she stared up at the arching stone ceiling.

"Apparently run away from him," came a gentle whisper from a darkened corner. Electra jumped at the response to her rhetorical question, and immediately brandished her wand towards the shadowed corner.

"Who's there?" she asked shakily, as she got to her feet.

"Calm down, Electra, it's me… Remus," came the calm voice of Remus Lupin, followed by his thin figure as he emerged into the beam of fading twilight.

"Ah! Remus, don't freak me out like that," Electra breathed a sigh of relief as he approached her, hitting him lightly on the shoulder.

"Sorry, I was unaware that I was going to be having a visitor tonight," he chuckled.

"Is this where you come every night then?" Electra asked, her curiosity piqued, as she looked around the shrouded room.

The Astronomy Tower had never been the most ideal place for a class. During the day when students where forced to study the planets and constellations, the sun beat down upon them through the many windows, making proper concentration impossible. At night the view of the heavens was too impressive to actually study and understand what one was looking at and most of the class was held on top of the tower anyway.

"Yeah, it's pretty quiet up here, and people usually avoid the room altogether after about seven because they think it's too creepy," Remus said as he slid down the wall into a sitting position, his eyes lingering out the far east window towards the lake.

"How'd you find that out?" Electra asked as she too slid down the wall to sit next to him, tucking her long dark hair behind her ear.

"It's amazing what one learns when they eavesdrop on teachers," Remus said cheekily, looking at her knowingly.

"Well, well, well, Remus Lupin!" Electra exclaimed, "Who would've known the most well behaved of the Marauders had the ability to be so sneaky?"

"Not me," he sighed, "I don't know what you're talking about." His gaze once again upon the window across the room.

"So, how are you?" Electra asked changing the subject completely, as she put a hand on his arm. She had wanted to talk to Remus ever since Constantina had left, but had never found the moment. He was always either in class, sleeping, with James and Sirius, or missing, so she had to take this opportunity to talk to him.

"I'm… _alright_," he said slowly, much too intelligent to not realize what she was really referring to.

She gave him a dark look.

"Really, I am," he said, once again, laughing lightly, almost humorlessly.

"Don't lie to me, Lupin," Electra scolded him playfully.

"I wouldn't dare lie to The Electra," Remus said, his tone of mock-seriousness.

"Good," she replied ominously, before the two burst out in a fit of laughter.

"But, seriously, you're okay?" she asked, as they both began to regain their composure.

"I'm fine," he said reassuringly, "I'm actually more relieved than anything now that you all know."

"That's not what I was asking, and you know it," Electra murmured.

"I know," Remus muttered, "And I was this close to getting away with it, too."

"Please," Electra snorted, "Like you'd be able to lie to _me _and get away with it."

"I think I could," Remus said defensively.

"Remus, we've known each other since we were eleven," Electra began, "I doubt you could get away with that bad of a lie at this point."

"And you not knowing about my being a werewolf was just luck then?" he asked with a slight smirk on his face.

"Okay, okay, I'll give that to you," she said, mentally slapping herself for letting that little piece of information slip her mind, "But, I'll have you know, I knew something was up. Just, not what it was exactly."

"Why didn't you ask me?" Remus asked, turning to face her with a surprised expression. "It's not like you to avoid confrontation."

"I figured that if you were going to go through all that trouble to lie to all of your friends that it had to be something important," she said quietly. "I wasn't going to make you tell me because you were afraid I'd hit you. And plus, I wanted you to _want_ to tell me."

"I'm sorry," Remus whispered, the silence suddenly thick in the room.

"For what?" Electra asked quickly.

"For not telling you sooner," Remus clarified. Even the darkness couldn't hide his shameful blush.

"It's fine," Electra said gently, "You couldn't have known how we would've reacted."

"But I should've trusted that you would've been as accepting as James, Sirius, and Pete were," Remus said, his voice full of regret.

"Here's the thing Remus, how old were you guys when you told them about your… uhm… thing?" Electra asked tactlessly.

"I don't even remember how old we were… maybe third year was when they finally got it out of me," Remus guessed uncertainly, scratching his head.

"Yeah, at the ripe age of 13 most kids aren't as accepting as those three," Electra said slowly, "James and Sirius may be arrogant asses sometimes, but they have good hearts, and Peter… well, he admires you three so much he just replicates what you do. You were fine in telling them because they're good guys, and don't judge. At 13 I don't know if I would've been able to handle the fact that you're a werewolf."

"Yeah, I know, but maybe, if she would've known before…" Remus trailed off.

"Hey, do not blame yourself for what she did," Electra said sternly, "Constantina leaving was her own fault, not yours. Don't you dare blame yourself!"

"But she left because of me," Remus said quickly.

"Maybe," Electra relented, "But you weren't the only reason she left!"

"How do you know?" Remus asked, looking her directly in the eye.

"She'd been talking to me about that damn school in Bulgaria for forever!" Electra said darkly, "She wouldn't shut up about how torn she was about wanting to go there. 'Mother and father are moving there and it would be easier if I moved there with them'… 'But I can't just leave you all'… 'It's such a beautiful country and the school is beautiful…' blah, blah, blah… if I had to hear one more word from her about it, I swear I would've thrown her off my broom."

"She never told me about it," Remus whispered solemnly.

"That's because you were her boyfriend," Electra pointed out, "You never talk to the boyfriend about the possibility of leaving the boyfriend. Some sort of messed up girl code, I don't get it."

"That's ridiculous, if she just would've…" Remus began.

"What's _really_ bothering you, Remus?" Electra cut him off. If there was one thing Electra Jackson could not stand, it was when someone beat around the bush.

"Are you still in love with her?" she asked quietly, nudging his shoulder with hers in a comforting sort of way.

"No, Merlin, no," Remus said quietly, "I just feel awful for… scaring her…"

"You have got to be kidding me," Electra drawled.

"What?" he asked quickly, looking up at her.

"You feel bad for her intolerance?" Electra asked.

"No, I don't…"

"Yes! Yes, you do!" Electra cried accusingly, "_You_ feel bad because _she _was too scared to realize that you're still you despite the fact that you er…wolf-out once a month?"

"Yes… but…"

"That's not your fault," Electra said simply.

"But it is," Remus said calmly.

"No, no it's not!" Electra said sharply.

"But if I weren't a werewolf…" Remus trailed off morosely.

"Remus, did you ask to get bitten by a werewolf?" Electra asked harshly.

"Well, no, but that's not the—"he protested.

"Then it's not your fault," she cut him off once more, "It's her own stupid, intolerant fault that she's afraid of you. Am I afraid of you? No. Is Lily afraid of you? No. Is Spencer? No! Are James, Sirius, and Peter? NO! Why? Because we're not gonna let some stupid stereotype of werewolves get in the way of who we know you are! She did. She's an idiot. And, she's gone. So, we all need to move on!"

During the silence that fell after Electra's words, a pin could've been dropped and it would've sounded like the time the Slytherin keeper ran into the goalposts in an attempt to save an errant quaffle and broke all of his ribs.

"Well, that was… blunt," Remus said, slightly stunned at his friend's bravado.

"Well, someone has to be honest about this damn mess," Electra sighed, patting Remus on the knee.

"Yes, yes, one of us does," Remus concurred, laughing gently. He only wished as the image of a certain person materialized in his imagination, that _he_ could be the one to have that honor.

- - -

James Potter entered the library skeptically. The last time he had been here for longer than five minutes he had asked Lily to Hogsmeade. He hoped that it still held some of that magic for his next question. He scanned the tables looking for red, but nothing caught his eye. He walked through the maze of study surfaces to the aisles of shelves and began searching for her.

He patrolled the rows one after another with little success of finding the object of his affection, and was beginning to get a bit agitated.

_Where is she?_ he asked himself repeatedly. Had she lied to him to get away from him? Had she told him she went to the library and went somewhere else so he couldn't find her? Was she trying to avoid him? Or worse, was she with… _Snape_?

As wild scenarios of Lily running off with Severus Snape played through his mind, James rounded a corner to find none other than the red-haired beauty standing on a pile of three books stacked on top of one another, reaching precariously towards the top shelf.

"Whoa, Lily," James exclaimed amusedly, as he watched her balance on one leg to reach an exceptionally large tome.

As she turned to see who had come to find her, she lost her balance, and with very little grace began to fall to ground. Luckily, James, with his Quidditch-honed reflexes wrapped one arm around her waist and pulled her into his chest, her feet dangling off of the floor.

"Lily, are you okay?" James asked, his concern evident as he gave her a once over, turning to check to see that all of her was alright.

"I'm fine, James," she huffed, though a smile played lightly across her face.

"Good," he smiled gently.

"Just don't sneak up on me like that!" Lily scolded him, slapping him lightly on the arm before turning back to the shelf to retrieve her book, "So, why'd you come all the way back here to find me when I thought I told you not to look for me until I had finished this essay?"

"It's important. I needed," James started, as he leaned into the shelf, and before Lily could get on top of her stack of books again, grabbed the enormous text she had been reaching for earlier and handed it to her, "to ask you a question," he finished.

"Thanks," she said, taking the book out of his arms, "What's going on?"

"Well, you see," James began nervously. _What was wrong with him?_

"My dad just retired from being an auror for 35 years…" he supplied, running his hand through his hair.

"Really?" she asked, her eyes twinkling with interest as she reached up to stop the gesture automatically.

"Yeah," James continued, his confidence returning with her obvious interest. "And they're giving him this award at the yearly Ministry Christmas thing, and I have to be there. I know it's short notice, and it's the night before we go home for holidays, but I was wondering if you'd go… with me."

"Definitely."

_Wait! Had she just affirmatively answered a date invitation from James Potter in under a second?_

"Really?" he asked, his tense posture relaxing.

"Yes." Lily reiterated, "It should be fun!"

"HEY! LILY! I FOUND THAT BOOK YOU WERE LOOKING FOR!" roared Sirius from a few aisles over before yelling his apologies to the chorus of admonitions from the diligently working students.

"THANKS SIRIUS!" Lily called back, before she and James burst into laughter.

"Really, he is the only person who would scream in a library, isn't he?" she asked him.

"But, we love him anyway," James shrugged.

"Of course, you do," Sirius exclaimed, as he appeared at the end of aisle with a book in his hand.

"So, what happened while I was gone?" he asked inquisitively.

"Oh, nothing…" James said with a goofy grin firmly in place.

"Nothing at all…" Lily returned, with a secretive smile.

"You're officially the worst liars, ever," Sirius said, handing Lily the book.

"Thanks, Sirius," Lily said.

"Seriously, what's going on James?" Sirius asked.

"Sirus-ly, I don't know what is going on," James mocked as he began to walk out of the maze of books towards the tables, Lily following him.

"Do not Sirius-serious me right now," Sirius called to their retreating backs.

"Seriously, Sirius, thanks for the book," Lily called to him as they emerged into the open area of the library.

"Are you done yet?" Sirius asked he surfaced from the abyss of books.

"I don't think we'll ever seriously get tired of this. Isn't that so Sirius?" James laughed, sweeping the tottering pile of books out from Lily's arms gallantly. He suddenly decided that the library could quite possibly be his most favorite room in all of Hogwarts because it was where Lily Evans had said 'yes' there…_twice_.

* * *

A/N: Merry Christmas everyone! Debbie and I would like to thank all of you who read this story, even the lurkers (though we wish everyone would review). It's a lot of fun for us to improve our writing skills while entertaining people who aren't, well us.

We have a Christmas part to this story which takes place over Chapters Eleven, Twelve, and Thirteen and due to our ridiculously busy schedules it won't be up in time for today. We will try our best to get it up by New Year's but don't lose that Christmas Spirit in the meantime, okay?

HAPPY CHRISTMAS!  
-Cryssi and Debbie


	11. All of Tomorrow's Parties

A/N: Okay, so we weren't successful in meeting our Christmas deadline. We apologize. Despite the fact that the Holidays are past, Debbie and I hope that the James and Lily fluff will still give you that warm Christmas morning feeling, anyway. We're not going to make any promises as to when the next Chapters will be updated as they are still in the tweaking process. Please understand that we want you to have the best story possible.

* * *

**Chapter 11:  
****All of Tomorrow's Parties**

"_Woah_," Spencer exclaimed watching intently as Electra finished her work. She adjusted the gently shimmering white poinsettia in Lily's vibrant hair, stepping back with a satisfied smile.

"My work here is done," Electra proclaimed proudly, curtsying dramatically as Spencer burst into enthusiastic applause from where she sat cross-legged on her bed. It had been her job to provide emotional support for the incredibly nervous Lily, who had been forced to endure over an hour under Electra's meticulously artistic hand.

"Finally," Lily said, rolling her softly lined eyes. "Do I look alright?" she queried uncertainly. She had been forcefully restrained from facing the mirror on the vanity which the girls had levitated from their bathroom to provide Electra with a 'workspace.'

"As if I would let you face all of the important people in the wizarding world looking only _alright_," Electra scoffed. "Turn around."

Reticently, Lily shifted herself around to view her reflection.

Her long red hair hung in artfully loose curls down her back. The sides were pulled away from her face and looked as if they were held in place by the delicate flowers that Electra had knicked from the third Christmas tree in the Great Hall. Her emerald eyes were accented by a shade of pale gold. It matched the color of the dress robes Spencer had loaned her for the occasion perfectly.

"Are you sure I look okay?" Lily asked once more, seeking reassurance. "I mean, I really don't want to embarrass James or anything."

"He won't be able to take his eyes off of you," Spencer practically squealed, moving off of the bed. Her eyes were misted with romantic dreams and a pang of sadness that Lily couldn't help but notice.

"Thank you," Lily cried, throwing her arms around both of her friends in a giddy hug. Spencer let out a girlish shriek, causing the three to burst into uncontrollable laughter.

"We should stop or else we'll mess up Lily's hair," Spencer chided, breaking out of their embrace.

"Yeah, that's James' job for later," Electra remarked jubilantly, as she spun Spencer around like a primary student. "At least make sure everyone sees how wonderful you look _before_ you let Potter drag you into a broom closet and do unspeakable things to you."

"It's not like that," Lily protested, her face matching her hair. "We're just going as friends."

"If you're just friends, I'm the Minister of Magic," Electra drawled as she made her way toward the door.

"Then I'll be sure to tell her that you'll be taking over her position if I see her tonight," Lily called after her friends retreating back. Mumbling to herself she started to search through the mess on her bed for her wand.

"Honestly, Lily," Spencer said, her voice muffled as she had her head bent in her trunk. "You and your denial, you're worse than…" she trailed off abruptly.

"Worse than who?" Lily paused interestedly in the process of searching for the pocket hidden in the folds of her skirt.

"Nothing," Spencer amended hastily, handing Lily an elegant black velvet traveling cloak. "So you don't get the robes dirty on the way," she explained, avoiding Lily's gaze.

"Come on Lily!" Electra called up the staircase. "Your date is waiting and if you don't get down here now, I might just go with him instead."

Lily giggled as she heard Sirius somewhat muffled indignant cry. She took a deep breath, still wondering why she was so nervous. It was only James, she told herself bracingly.

But she knew that the fact that it was _only_ James that was worrying her. The absence of their friends would mean that the stubborn feelings she had developed for him might not be so easily ignored.

Glancing around, Lily was startled to find that she was alone; Spencer's voice had joined the loud chorus below.

Draping the cloak over her arm, she exited the dormitory, her heart racing. She wondered fleetingly if James could hear it echoing in the stone staircase.

- - -

"Do you know what's taking her so long?" James asked, his hands stuck dejectedly in his pockets. "I mean, is she okay?"

"I'm sure she's fine, James," Remus said soothingly to his friend, lifting his head from his book.

"She probably changed her mind," Sirius supplied unhelpfully from his perch on the back of the sofa in between Spencer and Electra. "I mean, honestly, what girl would want to get dressed up and go spend a night dancing and meeting important people when they could stay here and play a nice game of exploding snap by the fire. Isn't that right ladies?" he asked, swinging his arms around the girls at his side.

"Those were my thoughts exactly," Lily smiled as she stepped into the common room accompanied by Sirius' wolf-whistle.

James whipped around to stare at her.

"Merlin fucking Grindlewald," he breathed as he took in her appearance. The look in his eyes made Lily want to suppress a shiver.

"Is it that bad?" she said playfully, arching an eyebrow.

"No," James said, his voice cracking slightly. "You look amazing."

Lily could not help but notice the way his voice had dropped on the last words. She was beginning to think that maybe Electra wouldn't get to be Minister of Magic after all.

"Thanks," she responded quietly. "You look great too."

'Great' was an understatement in her opinion. James looked dashing in his crisp white dress shirt and black pants. The red satin tie contrasted nicely with the black fabric of the formal vest he was wearing under his sweeping onyx dress robes trimmed subtly in gold. It brought out the auriferous flecks in his eyes, Lily noted.

"Oh," Sirius cried melodramatically, throwing himself fully into Spencer's arms, "look Spen Ben, our little ones are all grown up and going out on a _date_! I'm _so_ proud!" He gave a huge wracking sob that was interrupted by Remus clearing his throat.

"I'm sorry to interrupt Sirius' display, but I believe that you should be going soon if you want to make it there before they give Mr. Potter the award."

"Right," James said briskly, tearing his gaze away from Lily. "Let me help you with that," he offered, taking the cloak out of Lily's arms and holding it up. Lily lifted up her hair to prevent it from getting squashed by the fabric. She blushed as she felt the firmness of his body against her back as he fastened the catch for her. She might have imagined it, but she could have sworn that his hands lingered just a little longer than necessary.

"Well, see you guys later," James said, grinning widely and offering his arm to Lily.

"Don't wait up," she added cheekily, sliding her hand into the crook of his elbow, allowing him to lead her to the portrait hole.

"Don't do anything I wouldn't do!" Electra called through the closing portrait hole.

"And exactly what would that be?" Sirius perked up from where he had previously been laying across Spencer's lap.

"You won't be finding out anytime soon," Electra said shoving him roughly over the back of the sofa and onto the cushions. He caught her hand, pulling her down with him in an ungainly fashion.

"That hurts, _Stephen_," Sirius drawled, not noticing Spencer get up quickly.

"Where are you going, Spencer?" Remus asked, concern evident in his voice. Sirius could be so oblivious sometimes.

"To the library, I thought I'd get a head start on that essay for McGongall," the brunette returned, her gaze meeting Remus' understanding eyes.

"But it's Friday night, Spencer!" Electra protested from where she was struggling to get out of Sirius' grip and failing miserably.

"I'll be back later," the Spencer said twisting a strand of her long hair around her finger in an accustomed gesture that caught Sirius' eye. It meant she was troubled about something and was usually followed by a cuddle round with Mr. Pufflesnuffs and at least half a chocolate cake.

Electra pushed playfully against his chest and Sirius was too consumed by the pleasant feeling at having her weight on his chest that he forgot all about Spencer until she had gone.

- - -

"James and Lily Potter," James declared winningly as he peered over the clipboard of the burly security wizard at the door, completely oblivious to Lily's strange look at his slip in words.

"Here you are, James Potter and guest," the wizard said, giving the pair an odd look. "You have to submit your wands for identity verification inside the front hall."

"Thank you, my fine fellow," James smiled, leading Lily into the enormous marbled foyer of the mansion where the Ministry held all of its state affairs.

"Did you notice that guy kept looking at us like we were starkers or something?" James asked Lily as they handed their wands over for inspection.

"That's probably because he's thinking we're a little young to be married," Lily informed him after thanking the witch and storing her wand back in her robes.

"What are you talking about?" James said perplexed as they handed their coats over to the pimply teens running the cloak check.

"Well you did say 'James and Lily Potter' at the door," she grinned, sliding her hand into his proffered one. They continued to bicker playfully as he lead her through a maze of smaller libraries and parlors before emerging into a magnificent ballroom which was currently playing host to at least a hundred circular tables draped in pools of burgundy fabric.

"No, I didn't," James said once more, pausing near the entrance to the ballroom.

"Yes, you _did_," Lily informed him, enjoying the way his face was currently matching the scarlet of his tie.

"I seriously told the guy at the door we were James and Lily Potter?" he smacked his forehead with his free hand.

"Aren't you a little young to be married?" an interested voice interrupted from behind the pair. Lily turned around to face a tall, elegant woman with kind eyes.

"Mum!" James said, unabashedly throwing his arms around her.

"I saw you come in," Mrs. Potter said, beaming as she looked over her only son. "Couldn't you have done anything with your hair?" she asked, trying to flatten it.

"I tried," he responded crossly. "Blame it on Dad; it's his hair I inherited."

"I suppose you're right," Mrs. Potter sighed, her eyes landing on Lily, her face positively lighting up in delight. "And you _have_ to be _the _Lily. It's so nice to meet you," she said, wrapping her arms around a surprised Lily.

"It's nice to meet you too, Mrs. Potter," Lily responded, immediately taking a liking to the woman.

"Oh please, dear," Mrs. Potter responded squeezing her hand. "I've heard so much about you over the last seven years, I think that you've earned the right to call me Catherine."

"Mum," James said warningly.

"And what exactly have you heard?" Lily queried.

"Absolutely nothing," James cut off his mother's reply.

"Well, absolutely nothing that tops the fact that you ran out and got married without even inviting me," Mrs. Potter teased with a smile.

"They got married?" a deep male voice announced the arrival of a man of James' height with graying jet black hair that refused to be controlled. "About time."

Lily and James faces turned a daring shade of Gryffindor red. "It was a mistake, okay?" James said defensively. "I accidentally told the door guard we were James and Lily Potter. We're not married; Mum's just enjoying taking the Mickey out of me."

"James and Lily Potter?" Mr. Potter said slowly, as if rolling it around on his tongue. "It has a nice ring to it, doesn't it Catherine?"

Mrs. Potter whacked him playfully on the chest. "Oh, Phillip. That's enough, you're embarrassing poor Lily here."

"My apologies," Mr. Potter said, shaking Lily's hand, though his twinkling hazel eyes revealed he wasn't sorry at all. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

"That's better," Mrs. Potter said with a smile, sliding her hand into her husband's arm with an air of familiarity that Lily suddenly felt envious of. "Shall we go sit down and eat some dinner so they can puff up that ego of yours a little more by handing you a nice shiny award?"

"I love shiny things, they're fun to put up on the mantle and they keep Sirius occupied for hours," Mr. Potter replied jovially. Laughing easily, Lily smiled at James as they followed his parents to their assigned table.

- - -

"James," Mrs. Potter said, eyeing James over the rim of her drink. "Why don't you ask Lily to dance?"

"Of course," James returned with a relieved smile on his face. He was growing worried that Lily wasn't having such a good time. She had been sitting next to him with a pleasant smile on her face since the end of dinner being introduced to the long line of well wishers and Ministry acquaintances that continually swept by their table to congratulate his father on his award. She had laughed while the men from his father's auror squad teased him mercilessly, but the fact of the matter was that _he_ had long ago grown bored of sitting politely and greeting people he had never met before.

"May I have this dance," James said, offering his hand to Lily while the small orchestra struck up another sweeping waltz.

"I guess," Lily replied hesitantly, the contact of his hand on hers setting her nerves tingling for the umpteenth time that evening. They moved to the center of the dance floor, where the younger ministry members were twirling around the floor in a practiced motion that Lily had no idea how to emulate. James slid his hand around her side, bringing it to rest just below her shoulder blade.

"James," Lily said, her nerves which were already suffering under the pressure of insecurity, fraying swiftly as her body reacted to his touch. "I can't dance," she whispered softly, her eyes scanning the room.

"Don't worry about it," James returned assuredly. "Just let me lead you."

Lily gulped as their eyes met. He tugged her into him so that there was barely an inch of space between them. "I can't lead you as easily if you're all the way over there," he explained. Lily could only nod as his warmth sunk into the thin fabric of her dress robes.

"James," Lily practically squealed when he took a slow step backwards. "I can't do this."

James merely chuckled and took a step, forcing her to follow him. He turned, and Lily stumbled.

"Relax," he breathed, his lips coincidentally right by her ear. She couldn't suppress the shudder that ran through her. James' thumb softly stroked her tense back muscles and she found herself wondering where the nearest broom closet in the mansion would be located. She forced herself to nod in acknowledgement of his advice. He slowly began to move again and Lily, her eyes glued to their barely visible feet followed obediently.

A few minutes later, Lily was able to complete a basic waltz step without too many mishaps. "How did you learn how to do this?" Lily asked with no little hint of envy at the easy way James practically glided over the parquet floor. And damn her if he didn't look sexy as hell while doing it.

"I've had to attend functions like this since I was little," he explained. "So my mother taught me how to dance. Spin," he instructed as he twirled her gracefully under one arm. "See, you have potential," he teased, desperately trying to ignore the small voice in his head that said Lily seriously had the potential to get jumped unexpectedly if she continued to look so enticingly uncertain, adorable, and indescribably beautiful all at the same time.

- - -

"He so has her," Phillip Potter remarked, wrapping his arm around his wife's shoulders where they sat observing their son and a now slightly smiling Lily circle around the dance floor.

"More like she has him wrapped around her finger," his wife responded as she watched her son's face light up when Lily laughed at something he said.

"Either way," he sighed, "I should tell Sirius that he should put at least five points on James' tally for the dancing. Come to think of it, I should add another five galleons to our bet."

"What? That they'll kiss by Christmas?" Catherine said. "I think that would be wise," she nodded in approval.

- - -

Lily laughed euphorically as James dipped her dramatically. "See," he pointed out delightedly, "you're good at this. And you thought that you had two left feet!"

He pulled her up and twirled her away from him before tugging her back. Not expecting the move, Lily had not known to twirl and ended up tripping on the hem of her dress. She gasped as she tumbled ungracefully into James' torso. Her hands gripped the fabric of his robes and his arms wrapped around her back to steady her.

"I think you may have spoken too soon," she said, lifting her eyes to his in sheepish embarrassment. Whatever she had been about to say died in her throat as she saw the look that was burning in his darkened hazel eyes.

Their faces were so close; he had bent down to catch her. Every sense she possessed suddenly seemed hyperactive. She was too aware of the way their bodies were aligned, the feel of him pressing her body against his, the way her toes barely remained on the floor as he held her. And beneath her hand, she could feel his heart skipping erratically, a beat that was sure to match her own thrumming pulse.

"You're heart's pounding," she said stupidly, unable to tear her eyes away from his.

"Lily," he whispered, the deep tone in his voice sending a thrill of heat straight through her. "I…" he said, his lips almost grazing hers with the word. Her eyelids drifted close…

Her mind was reeling. She was going to kiss James Potter and in a public ballroom no less. And she really, _really_ wanted to.

"James," she breathed, turning her head away as her yearning body screamed in protest. "Not in front of the Ministry."

He resisted the urge to groan in complete and utter frustration as he rested his chin on top of her head. His mind was executing a frantic happy dance as it processed her words. She had said 'not in front of the Ministry', which meant that he had a good chance of being able to kiss her _later_ when they left. In the meantime, he decided, it would be best if he let her go before the effect that she had on him became _incredibly_ noticeable.

"Right then," he said in a strangled voice. "How about I go get us some drinks?"

"Alright," she concurred quietly, already missing the feel of him as he strode away from her, running his hand through his hair.

Realizing that she looked incredibly stupid gazing misty-eyed at her date's back in the middle of the crowded dance floor, Lily made her way over toward the wall on the side of the ballroom opposite of where Mr. and Mrs. Potter stood talking with Bartemius Crouch, the Head of Magical Law enforcement, and his rather fragile-looking wife. She didn't know if the Potters had seen their almost-kiss, but she wasn't in the mood to ask them.

Lily leant her head against the wall, closing her eyes for a brief moment and attempting to get her spinning emotions to slow down long enough that she could get a grip on herself.

"You might not want to lean on that wall, you could leave your filthy imprint all over it, Mudblood," a voice drawled lazily.

Lily's eyes shot open to find a tall, sneering man with sharp pointed features and hair such a light shade of blonde that it appeared almost silver.

"It's so nice to see you too, Lucius," Lily said icily, taking a step away from the wall. She hadn't seen Lucius Malfoy in the two years since he graduated from Hogwarts and she was currently wishing that it had remained that way.

"I see you've managed to worm your way into the good graces of one of the oldest and most influential pureblood families," Lucius sneered, taking a step towards her. "It would be even more impressive if they weren't a bunch of sniveling blood traitors."

"Surely you have better things to do than come over here to insult me," Lily said, her hand slowly creeping toward her wand.

"I wouldn't draw your wand if I were you," Lucius drawled, looking practically thrilled at her expression of fearful surprise. "You see, my family has a lot of power here," he said, taking another step toward the wall and placing one arm to the side of Lily's head, his own hand falling to his pocket where Lily guessed his wand was concealed. "I'm sure that I can do almost anything to you without you being able to do anything about it. I doubt people would be too happy with you if you attacked the son of one of the wealthiest families in the country."

"I also doubt that the entire Auror office would be too happy if they discovered that you harmed the guest of one of the most decorated and well-liked wizards to ever pass through their ranks," a familiar voice interrupted as James roughly shoved Lucius' hand away from Lily, sliding both of his arms around Lily's waist in a gesture that was fiercely protective and nearly possessive.

"Not that they would have time to reach you," James continued, "seeing that if you so much as touched Lily, I'd kill you."

Lucius's hand flicked dangerously toward his pocket for a moment before he stepped back, the unwavering sneer still firmly in place.

"I'd be careful who you threaten these days, Potter," he warned silkily. "People keep disappearing at an alarming rate. I'd hate for you to lose someone so dear to you." And with that he turned on his heel and swept back through the crowd.

"Are you alright?" James asked bending down to peer into Lily's face.

"I'm fine," she replied truthfully. She had to admit that any fear she had felt disappeared the moment she had heard his voice.

"Lily," James began, his hands guiding her closer to him.

"What did you do with the drinks?" Lily cut him off.

"I got waylaid at the door by some old woman who thought I was her grandson. I caught sight of Lucius out of the corner of my eye and got over here as fast as possible," he explained. "Lily," he said more firmly but Lily, unwilling to fight over whether or not she could defend herself at the moment, interrupted him once more.

"Come on," she said with what she hoped was a somewhat alluring and distracting smile. "Dance with me."

She could not help but think, as James grudging led her out onto the floor once more, that they had been dancing for years. This was however, the first time that they had actually danced together and not around each other.

- - -

"Thanks again for coming with me," James said as they wended their way back up to the Gryffindor common room several hours later.

"Thank you for inviting me, it was a lot of fun," Lily returned with a smile. "I think my feet may regret it a little."

"That's because I don't think you sat down for a second after we started dancing again," James laughed as he held open the Fat Lady's portrait for Lily.

"What?" she demanded with an air of mock crossness. "Who knew dancing could be so much fun, especially when they moved into that swing set and all the Ministry officials were positively smashed."

There was a sudden silence as they reached the foot of the stairs leading up to their respective dormitories.

"Well," Lily said, taking a step closer and placing her hands on his shoulders. Standing on tiptoes she placed a soft kiss on his cheek. "Goodnight."

She turned to head up the staircase, but James caught her wrist in his hand. "James, what―" she fell silent as his lips brushed tantalizingly over her racing pulse point. He brought her arm over his shoulder, his free hand guiding her hips toward his. For the second time that night she could feel his breath, warm and inviting on her face as he bent down to finally, _finally_ kiss her.

The sound of the portrait hole opening broke them apart. Turning, Lily was surprised to see a slightly disheveled looking Spencer enter the room.

"Spencer?" she asked, cursing her friends timing. "What were you doing out this late at night?"

"I…fell asleep in the library," she explained hurriedly. "Barely avoided getting caught by Filch on my way here. Well, night you two," the petite brunette waved, dashing by Lily and up the girls staircase.

"What's up with her?" James said, perplexed.

"I have no idea," Lily responded. "Well, 'night," she said, gathering her skirts in her hands and walking up the staircase feeling inexplicably empty and utterly disappointed.

- - -

Lily pulled her scarf tighter around her neck to ward off the chill of the winter breeze that was rushing through Platform Nine and Three-Quarters. She had to fight against the crowd of students jostling each other in order find their families.

"Are you sure you'll be alright?" James asked over the shouts of holiday cheer between parting friends. Concern was etched into every feature of his face as he stared down at the diminutive redhead before him.

"I'll be _fine_," Lily said exasperatedly, stuffing her fingers into her pockets. "It's only an hour in muggle London. My parents are going to meet me at our favorite restaurant in the city. Besides," she added as if the reason justified doing something not exactly safe, "I still have to buy Petunia a Christmas present."

"I still don't like it," James said darkly, running his hand through his hair, grimacing when Lily stopped the motion.

"I'm not too sure I like it either," Sirius said, bringing his trunk to a stop beside James.

Lily rolled her emerald eyes in response. "Whatever would I do if I didn't have two big strong men looking after me?" she drawled sarcastically.

"Well, technically it's three," Remus said, his gentle smile not reaching his eyes. "Lily, please reconsider this. At least allow us to wait with you."

"I won't hear it," she responded firmly. "Anyway, both of your parents are here," she said, glancing over her shoulder to where she could see the Potters greeting the Lupins politely. "I should get going or I won't have time to buy Petunia's gift."

She stood up on her tiptoes to wrap her arms around Remus and then Sirius. "You should come and visit us sometime over the hols," he told her. "We can bring the other girls too, and ring in the New Year with my new best friend, Ogden."

"I don't think I've ever met Ogden," Lily laughed.

"All the more reason to come over then," Sirius supplied eagerly.

"I'll think about it," Lily said, turning to James. She remained quiet for a moment, unsure of what to say. As if sensing her unease in an incredibly astute and unusual manner both Remus and Sirius chose that moment to begin wheeling their trunks over towards their respective guardians.

"Have a happy Christmas, James," Lily said, wrapping her arms around him like she had the other two, though the feeling was completely different.

"You too," he responded, his cheek lying against the crown of her head. "Owl me as soon as you get home," he told her, his hand grasping her chin and tilting her face up to meet his eyes. "I'll send Al to you once we get to the manor."

She nodded, enjoying the feel of his touch lingering on her cheek. "Stay safe," he told her bending down to kiss the skin previously warmed by his hand.

"Always," she said with a smile and watched him walk away, brow furrowed, to join his parents.

- - -

Lily adjusted the wand tucked inside the waistband of her jeans beneath her coat as she hurried out of the bookstore, clutching Petunia's newly purchased present to her chest. She was ten minutes late to meet her parents as it had taken her quite a while to find a suitable gift for her sister. She was just about to cross through the bustle of the holiday shoppers when a sudden series of pops and some loud screams silenced the crowd.

Her hand fell instantly to her wand as five black cloaked and masked figures were framed against the muddy backdrop of the smog-filled city like demons just summoned from hell.

"Run!" Lily urged the people nearest to her. Petunia's present fell forgotten to the slush strewn gutter as she held her wand firmly in front of her. "Get out of here!" Whether it was because they had heard Lily's warning, or because the Death Eaters now had a man writhing on the ground in the middle of the road clutching a face that was covered with painful blisters, the muggle shoppers started to scream and run frantically into traffic, attempting to escape.

A car honked indignantly at the sudden jam in traffic. A nearby Death Eater rolled it over, the driver still inside, with a careless flick of his wand.

Lily rushed to the hissing vehicle, blasting the door off its hinges and cutting the man free from the seatbelt with a quick severing charm. She gasped as his weight fell on top of her and stumbling, dragged him from the car.

Without warning a searing pain filled every fiber of her being and Lily fell to the street, over the prostrate driver as she cried out at the sudden agony.

"And who is this brave little heroin?" a gravelly voice rasped as it stared down at Lily. The death eater released the spell and Lily was left gasping, her palms torn by the wet asphalt.

A rough hand grabbed her hair and yanked her head backwards to get a look at her face. "She looks familiar," a higher feminine voice remarked with a hint of interest.

"Of course she does, you idiot, it's the mudblood bitch that was accompanying the youngest Potter to the Ministry gala the other night," a third voice, male and silky entered the conversation.

"Should we cleanse the world of a little fifth?" the woman asked, as the first man released her hair, throwing her down on the pavement once more. Lily's eyes scanned the ground for her wand and realized with dismay that it had flown out of her hand when she had fallen over the scarcely breathing driver.

She tried to crawl to her wand inconspicuously but a booted foot slammed her down once more and she heard a horrifying crack as her wrist, caught at a strange angle underneath her broke as her weight fell onto it. Her harsh cry echoed in the clamor of the street.

"No," the first man responded, shaking her masked head. "She has very melodic screams. Let us bring her to the Dark Lord. If he is in a generous mood, he may allow us to have fun with our feisty one here."

"No," Lily gasped struggling as two sets of rough hands held her steady while ropes shot out of the woman's wand to snake around her feet and hands, cutting into her flesh.

"Shut up, girl," the second man snapped. "Don't make me lose my patience."

"Let go of me," Lily snarled as she strained against her bonds.

"He said silence," the first man roared, his fist colliding with Lily's skull.

The last thing she saw before the world shimmered into darkness was a pair of intent hazel eyes whose emotion could not be hidden behind the layer of glass that always covered them.

"_Stay safe, Lily." _

Her eyes slid closed against her will.

_I'm so sorry James_.

* * *

A/N: Give BlackVelvetBand an eighteenth birthday present and review! 


	12. A Multitude of Casualties

A/N: First, we would like to give a huge apology to all of you! We've both bogged down with all of our IB work, college auditions, work, and everything else that this has taken forever to get up! But, it's worth the wait...

* * *

**Chapter 12:  
****A Multitude of Casualties**

James sighed and leaned his forehead against the cool windowpane of the bay window in his bedroom. He tried to focus his attention on the Quidditch book in his lap, which he had been attempting unsuccessfully for over an hour now. He found it incredibly difficult to focus and his eyes kept scanning the sky for any sign of his tiny bard owl carrying a small folded up letter bearing the neat script of the person he cared most about in the world.

"Prongs?" Sirius called as he entered the room. "How can you even see in here? It's pitch black," he commented, lighting the lamp near the door.

_Was it that dark_? He hadn't noticed.

"Sorry, I wasn't paying attention," he said listlessly as he adjusted his glasses for a better view out the window.

"James," Sirius said coming over to stand next to the window seat James was currently sprawled on. "She's fine. We only got back a little over five hours ago. Lily's probably too busy catching up with her parents to answer Bob's letter right now."

"You're probably right," James said as he tilted his head back on the wall, his eyes trailing to the ceiling.

"Of course I am," Sirius said clapping his friend on the shoulder. "You should have learned to listen to me after seven years together. More to the point, Lily's a big girl and Bob's a dependable messenger. Just give them time to do their appointed duties before you totally lose it."

"I just can't help it, I worry about her," James said shaking his head. "Especially after that threat at the Ministry."

"Of course it's natural to worry about the girl you're broomstick over hands in love with," Sirius assured him, snatching the book out of James' hands and tossing it unceremoniously onto his overlarge bed. "Come on; fancy a game of chess while we wait for Bob?"

"Why do you insist on calling him Bob?" James said as he slowly shoved himself off of the window seat. "His name is Aloysius."

"For one thing," Sirius said as they made their way out of James's bedroom, and down the magnificent front stairway, "I can't pronounce Aloyi— whatever his name is. And two, I feel for the poor little bloke because he got stuck with a ridiculous name as well. So, to help us both out I call him Bob. Nice, simple, plain, and totally pronounceable. A dignified name."

James ran a hand through his hair. "Why cant' you just call him Al like the rest of us?"

"That's obvious," Sirius said, shoving James playfully in front of him. "It'd be too easy."

"There are days I wonder why I'm friends with you," James said, slapping his face in an exaggerated manner. And even though he knew exactly why he was friends with Sirius as his best mate tried his best to distract him from going insane with worry, he couldn't help his eyes from straying to the window where there was still no sign of a tiny silhouette on the starry horizon.

- - -

Lily groaned as consciousness slowly and agonizingly returned to her. She blinked her emerald green eyes in the darkness, her stomach protesting the slight movement as the room around her spun sickeningly. She swung her head over the bed and wretched up the last remnants of her lunch.

The lumpy bed she was laying on was uncomfortable in the extreme and every muscle in her body was protesting her awakening. Her head pounded in time to the lurching room, feeling as if someone had slammed her head onto asphalt. Then, Lily remembered with a jolt that someone had done exactly that. The terrifying reality of her predicament crashed onto her in waves that were accompanied by nausea.

She needed to find out where she was. She needed to find some way to get out of there. She needed to…sleep. She could not even stop her eyes from fluttering shut once more when she heard what sounded like a latch catching on the outside of the door. By the time the door scraped softly on the floor, Lily was lost to the realms of shadowed dreams once more.

A silhouetted form slipped into the bedroom and the door closed with a soft click. The dim light of a wand tip flared throughout the cold darkness of the room. Soundlessly, the shadowed form moved toward Lily's limp form on the bed. The pool of sick was removed with a sneer, and the cold eyes that looked down on the sleeping form warmed, like dying embers in a neglected fireplace.

A large, slightly stained hand caressed the bump at the back of her skull. "Only you would be so stupid to go wandering off on your own," the voice rasped. "But at least I found you before…"

- - -

"Go and get the girl," the gravelly voice demanded, startling Lily out of her slumber. She remained still for a moment as the world spun slightly, but she was surprised at the fact that it was not nearly as bad as before. Hesitantly, she raised her hand and probed the lump on her head, comforted by the fact that is had shrunk to almost half of the size it had been previously.

"I'm not your house-elf," a younger voice responded. Lily assumed that they were talking about her.

"I'm your superior, boy," the gravelly voice responded. "Not to mention the fact that you're living in my house while you're away from that wretched school. You'll do as I say."

"Be that as it may," the snide voice returned evenly, "the only person I answer to is the Dark Lord who is supposed to be arriving any moment. I am not so foolish as to not be waiting when he arrives because I was busy fetching your…toy."

There was a tense silence that followed.

"I don't know who you think you are, boy," the first voice croaked menacingly, "but you're nothing more than a fly in the master's web. He doesn't trust you as far as he can curse you. Your time is limited."

"So I wouldn't want to shorten it by doing something as foolish as being late for a meeting," the second voice returned coolly. "And I don't know what gives you the right to lecture me on whether I do or do not possess the Dark Lord's trust, Mr. Lestrange," the young man returned in a delicate manner, "seeing as I was positioned two seats away from his right at the last meeting and you were halfway across the room."

"How dare you!" the gravelly voice boomed in outrage.

"Daring and intelligence are what have won me the Dark Lord's favor, Mr. Lestrange," the young man said indifferently, "not the inability to control my basic instincts. I hope you know what wrath you and your friends might incur for going into Muggle London and drawing attention to our cause without having his express orders. Now, if you'll excuse me," the young man drawled as the soft sound of retreating footsteps was heard down the hallway.

There was a pause and then a loud thump on the wall opposite Lily as if the first man had rammed his fist into the wall in anger. A moment later the door was wrenched open and the beam of a lit wand seemed to sear Lily's unaccustomed eyes.

"Come with me," the dark-haired man growled in his strange sort of croak. This must be the Rodolphus Lestrange that James always mentioned. He was supposedly one of the most notorious Death Eaters, known for his torturing of innocent muggle victims. Apparently, he was surprisingly low in the Dark Lord's favor.

"Where am I?" Lily asked as she sat up, only to be sent reeling back onto the bed as the back of the man's hand connected with her cheek.

"Did I tell you that you could speak, bitch?" Lestrange demanded. He pointed his wand at her heart. "Keep quiet and maybe your death might be less painful, though I doubt it," he leered.

He pointed his wand at Lily's wrists and ropes shot of the tip to wrap themselves with bruising force around her wrists. He hauled her to her feet and shoved her roughly in front of him, the point of his wand digging into the small of her back. She tried to memorize where they were going, in case she could find a way out of the small room she was kept in, but it was hard to see; her watering eyes making her vision blur.

She was shoved down a set of stairs covered in carpet the color of dried blood and across a hallway covered in glittering black marble. A large hand came up to grip her neck painfully, partially cutting off her air supply as they stopped in front of a pair of elaborately carved wooden double doors. He rapped sharply on the door and then cracked it open without waiting for a reply.

"You better have a good reason for arriving to the meeting late and then interrupting me, Rudolphus," a high-pitched voice hissed, making Lily feel as if someone had doused her in icy water.

"Yes my Lord," Lestrange replied in a low mummer, as he dragged Lily into the brightly lit room by her hair. "I was bringing our guest down to meet you."

"Ah, yes," Voldemort returned, the last word snake-like. Lily slowly raised her eyes to look at the greatest fear of the wizarding world. She recoiled at his repulsive appearance, the red eyes gleaming in the light of the room. He was seated in a high backed chair, surrounded by what seemed to Lily like hundreds of his followers covered from head to toe in black robes, all positioned around a luxurious mahogany dining table. Voldemort sat at the head of the table; obviously in the middle of what would be an inspirational speech, had he not been interrupted.

"I will deal with your impudence later, Rudolphus," Voldemort said, his eyes never leaving Lily's tense form, as Lestrange brought Lily to the center of the room, clutching her arms so tightly, his nails began to dig into her arm. "As beautiful as our guest is…you should know that there are no circumstances in which you are allowed to act without my instruction."

Lestrange's grip tightened painfully on Lily's forearm. "Yes, My Lord," Lestrange muttered.

"However I was hoping…" he began but Voldemort cut him off, his face contorted into a mockery of a smile.

"Hoping that you could have fun with the girl? I don't think so," he shook his head. "We couldn't have your fiancée becoming jealous, could we?" Voldemort gestured to a young woman with long dark hair sitting two seats away from him on the left. "I have already decided to give the girl to Severus as a reward for completing a difficult mission for me today."

Lily jumped with shock at the mention of her childhood friend. She began to search the shrouded faces of the minions of Voldemort seated around the table. Her eyes met Snape's with a mixture of relief and horror, when she found him sitting directly to the right of the Dark Lord. The last time they had spoken they had parted on bad terms, and then there had been the whole cauldron incident. _Maybe if she could disarm him somehow…_

"Some reward," came a snarl from down the table, "who would want such a filthy prize?"

"Are you questioning The Dark Lord's generosity, Lucius?" Voldemort asked silkily, his lips curling.

"No, My Lord," Lucius Malfoy's glossed over, "I was just saying, as a matter of personal taste I would not take pleasure in a prize already dirtied by blood traitors."

"Do you know this girl, Lucius?" Voldemort asked, his eyes darting back and forth between a shaking Lily, and a now standing Lucius Malfoy.

"I know of her, My Lord," Lucius continued, "I saw her at the ministers party last evening. She is the current plaything of the youngest of the Potters."

"Ah, I see," The Dark Lord sneered, a shadow of a smile crossing his face, "So this is the girl that fills your thoughts, Severus?"

Snape cringed as the Dark Lord's gaze fell upon him.

"You should know that you can not hide your feelings from the Dark Lord, Severus," Voldemort reprimanded the young Death Eater, "But, no matter, my generous nature remains intact. You will still have the girl to do with as you please."

"The Dark Lord is most generous to bestow such a gift upon me," Snape said with a humble little bow in Voldemort's direction. It made Lily want to wretch again seeing her friend so…submissive to such a terrible man.

"You see my Death Eaters, that good work is always rewarded?" Voldemort asked turning his horrifying features on the company at large. There was a murmur of assent throughout the group. "Come, girl, and stand behind your new keeper like a good obedient prize should," Voldemort commanded coldly.

Suddenly, almost inexplicably hot ire flared in the place of fear. Her body was her own, only she would decide who she stood behind and who got to…touch her. Lily remained rooted to the spot she stood, as every eye in the room bore into her as though willing her to move behind Snape's chair. An image of James' face erupted in her mind strengthening her resolve. _No one would touch her…_

She cried out in pain as a thousand knives seared her every nerve ending as she fell to the floor. Her body was burning, the pain was unbearable…she bit her lip so hard that it bled, the blood dripping, dribbling down her cheek. And as quickly as it began…it ended.

"Remember that you are alive only because I will it, girl," Voldemort said with a lazy flick of his wand. "Be grateful that I didn't just end your life for your defiance. Now," he said, pointing his wand at Lily. "Go stand behind Severus," his voice commanded with sudden warmth as a light, floating sensation overcame her. Suddenly the pain dissolved as the pleasant sensation filled her veins. "Go and stand behind Severus," Voldemort's voice repeated. And Lily pushed herself obediently to her feet as the voice repeated the command.

She had almost taken a step when a part of her wondered why on earth she was listening to this corrupted ruin of a human being tell her what to do. "No," she whispered, as the fog threatened to overcome her once more. The voice repeated the command once more. "NO!" She shouted, pitching forward painfully when the fog lifted abruptly. The cruel laughter of the Death Eaters who had been enjoying her struggle ceased instantly.

"What did you say, girl?" Voldemort hissed, rising to his feet.

"I said…no," Lily grit out, amidst the haze of searing pain. Her hand tangled in the thick rug at her feet to prevent her from tilting sideways.

"Crucio," he whispered. This time the pain lasted for what seemed like an eternity. Lily refused to give in to the pain, but it was becoming over whelming as she fell onto all fours. Then, as suddenly as it had started the pain was gone. Lily's stomach heaved dryly as she collapsed onto the rug, absentmindedly noting that the soft fur reminded her of the velvet of the cloak that James had fastened for her the night of the Ministry party and her body gave way under the strain.

A silence rang in the room, as Lily once again fell into a dazed unconsciousness.

"Would you like me to dispose of the little whore," Bellatrix Black, the woman two seats from Voldemort's right, snarled as she rose to her feet, drawing her wand out of her robes, her face contorted with rage. "Death should be the penalty for her defiance…"

"Now, now, Belatrix," Voldemort said almost with amusement. "She is Severus' to punish as he chooses. But we have business to attend to. Lucius," he commanded coldly, "send our youngest members to take her to Severus' chamber and make sure that she doesn't do anything else so…foolish."

- - -

"You're dismissed," Snape snapped at the two teens guarding the door to his chamber four hours later.

"It's about time," the slimmer one said, shaking his slightly overgrown hair out of his eyes.

Snape did not bother to reply to the comment. "You are to return tomorrow to guard her again while I am away," he informed them.

"I don't have to take orders from you," the slim one remarked as he leaned on the door with a nasty smirk.

"They are not my orders," Snape responded with a twisted smile. "They are the Dark Lord's."

He ignored the frightened squeak of the chubby second teen and tapped the handle of the door in order to unlock it.

"Tomorrow. Dawn," Snape reiterated coolly before stepping into his room and closing the door with a sharp snap.

With an irritated sigh, he tossed his robe onto a nearby chair and crossed over the cauldron on the small table in the corner of the room. Automatically he began to gather the ingredients for the potion that would heal internal injuries. It was quite possible that Lily would have internal bleeding due to the prolonged exposure to the curse.

While he lit the small fire underneath the cauldron with his wand and waited for the liquid to begin to boil, he made his way to the side of the bed where Lily was sprawled in an uncomfortable position. He lifted her slight form with a frown, and drew the covers back. Her jacket was in tatters on her frame, and the large holes in her sweater displayed a myriad of cuts and bruises, and her wrist looked as though it was definitely broken from trying to support her weight while the Dark Lord punished her. He cleaned the cuts, all the while wishing he was more proficient in healing spells.

He brushed her tangled red hair away from her face with his hand and almost smiled as her face relaxed under his touch.

"James," she croaked hoarsely, as she turned onto her side in her sleep.

Snape removed his hand from her as if burned but could not tear his eyes away from her troubled face, not even when he heard the liquid begin to froth and bubble in the cauldron behind him.

A sharp rapping noise made him whip around sharply, his wand drawn. It was only then that he noticed the small owl hovering outside of his window, holding a letter that was much too large for him to carry.

- - -

"Good, you're awake," a smooth voice commented as Lily's eyes opened, a difficult task as her left eye was almost completely swollen shut. She realized that she was lying under the heavy black comforter of a large antique bed. She rolled over quickly, half expecting Voldemort to be sitting next to her. However, she found herself looking up into the dark gaze of Severus Snape.

"Sev?" she asked hoarsely, attempting to lift herself into a sitting position.

"Drink this," he said, handing her a glass of water. "How do you feel?"

"Like I got into a wrestling match with a mountain troll," she groaned, before remembering that she shouldn't be behaving so friendly with him. "What are you going to do with me?" she asked hesitantly, looking him directly in the eye.

"Let you go," he responded simply, tearing his gaze from hers and swinging his legs off of the bed.

"What?" Lily replied dazedly. She hauled herself to her feet, clutching the bedpost for support. It was only then that she realized that she was no longer wearing her torn sweater, but a slightly worn black button down shirt that must have been his. She blushed scarlet as the knowledge of how she had come to wear it was processed by her slowly functioning brain.

"Move to the other side of the wardrobe," Snape commanded. Lily obliged merely because she knew full well that her body could not take another dose of the cruciatus curse. He strode to the door and yanked it open. "Get in here," he commanded.

"What is it?" a voice snapped irritated as Snape closed the door behind them with a click. But Snape didn't answer the question. Lily couldn't see the door from her position hidden behind the large side of the wardrobe. There was a thud followed by a sharp squeak and then another, heavier thud.

Snape came around to her hiding place. "Here," he said, removing from the wardrobe a long, dark robe. "Put this on. Make sure to cover up your hair."

"What are you doing?" Lily asked as she pulled the robe on and made sure that the hood was drawn up to cover her face.

"There's only one fireplace in the house connected to the floo network," he said, ignoring her question. "It's at the end of the hall on the second floor, placed their strategically so if we are infiltrated we have ample time to dispose of the intruder as there are no other exits other than the front door. It's guarded at all times, except now, when we rotate our shifts." Snape stepped over the bodies of her guards which were lying facedown in the entrance way and opened the door. Lily stepped over the two bodies behind him, her brain reeling with confusion. She felt exceptionally weak as if she could barely stand on her own.

"Be quiet," Snape whispered in warning as he shut his door behind him and locked it once more. Lily followed behind Snape as they made their way quickly and silently through the corridor. They climbed a winding set of stone steps to the second floor of the mansion discretely. They saw only one other person on their way, another cloaked and masked Death Eater who paid little attention to the pair as they passed. Snape nodded coolly in acknowledgement of the other mans presence but no niceties were exchanged.

Snape stopped at the end of the hallway, and pushed open a door. They entered the small, rather darkly decorated parlor which was dominated by a huge fireplace and two black, leather chairs. Snape pointed his wand at the empty grate and a fire sprang to life.

He took a handful of powder from the small pouch hanging at his belt that Lily hadn't noticed before and threw it into the flames, turning them a vivid shade of acid green. "Go to the Leaky Cauldron," he commanded his hand gripping her arm tightly. "Someone will be waiting for you there."

"Sev, I don't understand," Lily said. She knew full well that she should be moving, seizing this free chance without any hesitation but she couldn't bring her muscles to move. Not until she understood why. "You could be tortured for this…killed."

"They won't find out," Snape said coldly. "Unlike your friends," he sneered coldly, "I am not a bumbling imbecile. Now get out." He pushed her toward the grate, the gesture causing the hood to fall back revealing her bruised face which still could not mar the beauty of her captivating eyes. Everything that was good in the world was seen through those eyes, that was what Severus Snape had decided the moment he saw her on the playground all those years ago. But now was not the time to wax poetic.

"Hurry," he urged, the barest hint of panic lacing his previously dry words, as he glanced at the heavy wooden door that hid them from the many footsteps of the passing by Death Eaters.

"But I still don't understand…why, Sev? Why would you do all of this for me," Lily stammered.

"You still don't understand after all this years?" he scoffed angrily. "You're an intelligent girl, Lily, I thought even you would be able to figure it out." He waited a moment as if expecting a response, staring down his hooked nose at her with a strange expression. "No? Well then let me enlighten you!" he growled. And then his hands were gripping her upper arms so tightly that it made Lily wince just before his lips crashed into hers with a furious force. She gasped in surprise and nearly fainted in shock when he took the opportunity to explore her mouth with his tongue.

Her heart was racing…but not out of passion. Out of sudden fear of what this meant, of what she had somehow always known and denied and a sinking feeling of guilt. That maybe if she could have returned his feelings somehow…he wouldn't be pouring all of his frustration at her into one caustic kiss in the far room of a Death Eater's mansion.

She fought down the disgust that rose in her throat as her heart protested against the act…against the person committing the act. Lily forced herself to return the kiss as gently as she could, trying to communicate what she knew they would never have the time to sit down and discuss ever again. The affection that would always remain in her heart for her childhood friend, the remorse she felt that things had not been different, and…pity that Snape might not even live to meet someone who could show him the warmth that she had inexplicably found with James Potter.

Snape wrenched his lips away from hers. "That should be explanation enough," he snarled through his ragged breath. "Now run back to Potter." Lily stepped into the fire, and turned to face him. "Thank you, Sev," she whispered, a silent tear trailing down her cheek.

"Go."

Lily called out her destination with a chocking voice into the flames. She swore to herself as she clutched the thick woolen cloak that he had given her closer to herself as the ash irritated the scrapes through her ripped jeans, that she would always wear the garment as a symbol of mourning for Severus Snape, the first casualty of the war that she had known.

- - -

Snape watched Lily go back to the awaiting arms of James Potter, struggling to keep a primal scream of rage down his throat. It would not due to lose control now after all this time. He had to get back to his room in time to frame the two dunderheads that had been assigned to guard Lily, making it look as if she had overcome them, stolen a wand and forced the information out of one of them as to where the floo connection in the mansion was. It would be only too easy to frame one of them, the other would be more difficult, but Snape was no fool.

Then, he had to master Occlumency once and for all, as both his own hide and Lily's depended on it. There could be no more thoughts of kind green eyes and sweeping red hair popping up unaccounted for during meetings. The Dark Lord could never be able to exploit his feelings for the redhead again. He had gotten lucky this time that Lily had been relatively unharmed, but next time, she might not be so lucky.

Still, as he staged Lily's 'escape,' he could not help but remember the last moments of her real one. The emotions that had flashed through her eyes once he had broken the kiss that he would hide in the deepest corners of his mind, where not even Voldemort himself could defile the memory. There had been shock, pain, sadness, and pity. Yet there had not been the one emotion that Severus Snape had wanted to see above all others, forgiveness.

* * *

A/N: We know, we know...

But reviews are like the roses that you throw on the stage after a good perfomance, and we LOVE roses.


	13. The Trick is to Keep Breathing

A/N: Sorry it took forever!! But it is worth it!

* * *

**Chapter 13:  
****The Trick is to Keep Breathing**

Lily tried to close her eyes against the soot-filled wind that rushed by her in sickening waves of heat. She was _free_…she would get help…The knowledge washed over her as the adrenaline that had been pumping through her system ever since she had awoken in that dark little room the day before, seemed to drain out of her in a single breath. She felt weak, every tired muscle in her body shouting in protest against her harsh movement through the nauseating world of scattered fireplaces and acid green flashes. Then she was slowing…stumbling… falling…crashing…

- - -

Sirius hastily tucked the note into his jeans pocket and rushed out of James' bedroom into the hallway to the large winding staircase. He ran to the dark oak banister that winded its way down the side of the marble staircase, and with more grace than anyone would've expected out of Sirius Black, he set his butt gently down and slid down the banister. In one swift motion he landed elegantly at the bottom of the stairs. In four long strides he was at the front closet grabbing his black traveling cloak, and in three more he had thrust it over his broad shoulders and made his way into the over sized living room. Without a word to James or Mrs. Potter, Sirius hurriedly threw a handful of powder into the small flames in the fireplace which erupted into a green inferno, stepped in and in a swirl of green light and a bark of "The Leaky Cauldron" he was gone.

He coughed slightly as he strode out of the fireplace almost before he had fully landed on his feet, having opened his mouth a little too soon in his rush. His eyes scanned the familiar barroom, which was devoid of customers except for two men tucked into a corner booth wearing dark robes, speaking in hushed whispers. They sent him slightly suspicious looks which he ignored, making a beeline for the wizened bartender.

"Hey, Tom," Sirius greeted the toothless man with a tightened smile at the surprised look on the old man's face.

"Young Mr. Black," Tom said, shock evident in his tone. "I just spoke to your--"

"Has anyone come looking for me? Or James," he interrupted quickly, bypassing the pleasantries in a hunt for information.

"Why, no," the bartender returned, "but the other--"

"Thanks Tom," Sirius barreled over him once more. "I'll have a butterbeer while I wait." He took a seat at the bar, angling himself so he had a decent view of the door.

"Certainly, Mr. Black," Tom said politely, an unkempt eyebrow raising at the obvious agitation one of his most exuberant customers was currently displaying.

Sirius accepted the drink with a nod of appreciation when Tom set it on the counter a moment later, digging in the pocket of his cloak for a spare sickle to pay for it. The dying fire erupted suddenly into green flame, signaling an arrival by the floo. Sirius was not quite sure what he was expecting, but what emerged from the grate was definitely nothing like what he imagined and horribly so.

The butterbeer he had been drinking fell to the floor with a crash as Lily Evans, her face pale beneath the layer of soot, fell out of the fire. Her hand met the floor at an odd angle, a nauseating crack resonating through the hushed room as the bone of her wrist snapped…

"Merlin… Fucking… Grindlewald," Sirius breathed heavily as he rushed over to a stumbling Lily.

"Lily! Lily!" Sirius exclaimed as he lifted her body from the ground. "Oh, bloody hell," Sirius muttered as he took in her ragged appearance. She was covered in soot and dressed in a slightly faded black robe.

"Lily," he said gently as he lowered himself to the ground, Lily cradled in his lap, "Lily, can you hear me?"

She moaned incomprehensibly into his shoulder, as the shady men in the corner gazed over at the two teens huddled together on the ground.

"Okay, noise! She's making noise! That's good!" Sirius cheered to himself, as he began to look around the pub for a sign of what to do. The near empty pub provided little inspiration as to what to do with the girl in his arms.

"Lily, hey, Lily," Sirius asked her quietly, looking down into her soot streaked face, as he gently put his hand behind the back of her head, his fingers getting tangled in her matted, greasy hair.

"Mmmm," she mumbled as her dry lips parted slightly, her eyes fluttering gently open.

"It's Sirius," he said lamely, smiling around at no one in particular, happy that she was now opening her eyes, and moving slightly.

She groaned deeply again.

"Do you think that you could manage another floo trip?" he asked, raising his eyebrows.

He waited patiently for her response, but she made no noise, as her eyes drifted closed once more, and she stopped moving completely.

"Okay, I think that's bad," Sirius said loudly to himself, as he shifted Lily in his arms, as he began to stand.

"Thanks for your help, Tom," Sirius called disconcertedly over his shoulder, as he clumsily threw a handful of floo powder into the fire, hobbled in, and bellowed loudly, "Potter Manor".

--

"MRS. POTTER! MRS. POTTER! COME QUICK!"

"For the love of Merlin, Sirius, your lunch will be ready in a minute," Mrs. Potter called agitatedly from the kitchen, as she continued to orchestrate the knives chopping vegetables with her wand.

"WHO CARES ABOUT FOOD? COME QUICK!"

"Merlin, Mum, it must be serious if he doesn't care about food," James muttered sarcastically from his position at the counter. He was helping Mrs. Potter make her famous home-made beef stew, and it had always been James' favorite job to help cut the carrots.

"MRS. POTTER!" Sirius' continuing cries traveled through the mahogany doors into the kitchen once more.

"I'm coming, Sirius," Mrs. Potter sighed heavily, as she rushed out of the kitchen wiping her hands off with a dish towel, James at her heels.

"Oh, my…" she breathed upon entering the grand living room.

"HOLY SHIT! LILY!" James screamed before rushing to the center of the high-ceilinged room where his best friend stood, Lily Evans in his arms, unconscious.

"Sirius, what happened?" Mrs. Potter asked, as she swiftly made her way to his side to tend to Lily.

"I don't know," Sirius began, as he walked over to one of the plush blue couches and set Lily gently down upon it, "Bob brought this note saying 'I have her' and to go to some place to get her and I didn't want James to freak so I didn't tell him. I just took the note and went, and when I got there no one was there. So I just waited and waited, and then out of nowhere someone makes this banging noise. And I look up, and it's Lily looking like absolute hell, and I rushed over to her, and brought her back here as quickly as I could."

"Lily! Lily!" James repeatedly called her name as he rushed to her comatose form, nudging her arm gently as though to prod her awake.

"Sirius, go to the kitchen and grab my emergency kit from under the sink," Mrs. Potter ordered her surrogate son, as she rolled up her sleeves, and pulled her hair back with a pin she always kept with her. With a nod, Sirius disappeared into the main foyer and into the kitchen to retrieve Mrs. Potter's emergency Healer's Kit.

Sirius couldn't remember the number of times Mrs. Potter pulled the little box out from under the sink to heal a small gash on his arm, or James' leg over the past years. The frequency of how often it was used was decreasing, either because James and Sirius were finally beginning to mature, or were just being a bit more careful. Sirius settled on the latter option and smiled slightly to himself as he snatched the lime green box from the cupboard, and headed towards the living room.

He returned to the living room to find James kneeling at Lily's side, shaking her limp body a bit more vigorously than before, his calls to her becoming gradually more hysterical.

"LILY! LILY!" he cried frantically.

"James," Mrs. Potter said quietly, but sternly, "Stand up!

"Lily… wake up! Lily, please!" James continued to call panic-stricken to the red head lying prostrate on the couch, completely ignoring his mother.

"James! James! James Phillip Potter," Mrs. Potter called more sternly to her son, as she walked over to Lily, and her anxious son.

"James, come on," Sirius began to coax James away from Lily as he set the Healer's Kit down on the glass top table in front of the couch.

"Lily, wake up," James said, his voice gravelly as he began to hold back tears.

"James, you need to move so I can look at her," Mrs. Potter said gently as she put her hands on her son's back and guided him to a standing position. James stood up shakily, but did not back away from Lily.

"James, come on," Sirius said calmly, as he walked over to James and pulled James struggling form across the room.

Mrs. Potter walked quickly in front of the couch, pulled her wand out of her pants pocket, and waved it rapidly over Lily's body muttering incantations swiftly under her breath. Lily's arms, legs, and torso all glowed blue, at which Mrs. Potter murmured a sigh of relief.

"Is that good?" James asked frantically, as he struggled against Sirius who now had his arms pinned behind his back.

"Yes, it's very good," Mrs. Potter said, as she continued to look over Lily's body, "It means there's no internal bleeding."

"Ok, that's good," James sighed, but continued to struggle against Sirius.

"Sirius," James groaned against his friends' restraint, "Let… me… go!"

"As long as you promise to not rush Mum," Sirius said, his voice muffled against James' back.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," James said hurriedly, as he tore his arms out of his friends grasp, and rushed to his mother's side.

"James," Sirius barked harshly at his friend making to grab his arm but James' seeker reflexes were too quick for him, and his hand closed around thin air.

"Shut up, Sirius," James shot back, as he took up his previous position on his knees at Lily's side.

Mrs. Potter continued to examine her patient, as James questioned her every move. After she murmured a particularly long spell which made Lily's chest glow red, Mrs. Potter drew in a sharp breathe of air, which made the already worried James even more distressed.

"What's that mean? Is that bad?" James interrogated his mother frantically as he began to rake his hand through his hair, but stopped half way through, took his hand out of his hair, and grabbed Lily's limp hand in his own as almost every memory of her stopping him run his hand through his hair came flooding back to him.

"James!" Mrs. Potter said harshly as she rounded on her son. Though she stood a good six inches shorter than him, her frustration gave her a towering demeanor, her presence over powering her son's over six-foot frame.

"I need you to leave the room," she said, her brunette locks coming free of the pin she had pulled it back with earlier.

"I won't leave Lily," James said, his voice shaky.

"James, I need you to get out, NOW!" his mother's voice boomed throughout the house. He didn't move for a moment, he just gazed longingly down at the beautiful, red-head lying lifelessly on the sofa, and then kissed her forehead gently, before retreating to the front foyer. Sirius followed him quietly.

Sirius closed the door to the living room gently. James began to pace back and forth frantically. He started at the large table in the middle of the hall, took eight long strides to the magnificent oak front doors, turned sharply on his heel, took eight long strides, turned sharply on his heel, and began the process over again.

He did this about eight or nine times, Sirius watching him intently, noticing that every time he turned James seemed to open mouth as though to say something, but thought the better of it, so he snapped his lips shut, and continued to pace. By the tenth turn around at the table James seemed unable to control himself.

"I can't believe you didn't tell me Al brought a letter!" he accused Sirius, his eyes flashing dangerously.

Sirius had known this was coming. He knew he would have to explain himself to the best friend who was more like a brother than anything else. He knew James would let his temper get the better of him. He knew this was coming from the moment he had decided to not tell James about the letter, yet, for some obscure reason, he had not come up with a very good defense for the obvious onslaught of anger that he was about to undergo.

"James," he began, as he rolled up the sleeves to the grey jumper he was wearing.

"I can't believe you just went without telling me," James continued, his voice growing in strength with every word.

"James, I knew you would freak out," Sirius tried to break in.

"What if she would have been seriously hurt? How would have you gotten her to St. Mungo's? How would have you gotten in contact with me and Mum to tell us what happened?" James continued his assault savagely.

"I would have figured it out!" Sirius hollered back. He was beginning to take defense. He would be the first to admit that he wasn't the most… mature… of the group, but that didn't mean that when one of his friends was hurt he wouldn't know how to take care of them.

"You stole my mail, didn't tell me that you knew Lily was in danger, and then didn't tell me and Mum about where you were going. You just left!" James continued, his rage seeming to fill the entire room, and to suffocate Sirius with guilt.

"I'm sorry," he said quietly, "I flipped out a bit when I read the letter, and I knew if I freaked out, then you would absolutely lose it. I didn't want you to worry."

"Because I'm as peaceful as a butterfly right now," James mocked harshly.

"I'm sorry," Sirius reiterated, "But, I knew you would lose your cool and go absolutely crazy if I told you about the letter, so, I just took off."

James continued to glare scathingly as his feet carried him back and forth on their own accord, his breathing coming in short gasps as he tried to calm himself down.

"I had to," Sirius insisted as he thrust his hands into his jean pockets and strode over to James, "How would it have sounded if I would've told you I was off to pick up a possibly kidnapped Lily?"

"I don't know, but… I can't believe you didn't tell me," James bellowed as he came to a halt right in front of his friend.

"I can," Sirius barked, "Look at yourself, James! You're a wreck. Can you imagine yourself before, how wound up you would be not knowing if she was alright, but knowing she was danger! You would have gone absolutely crazy!"

James opened his mouth to retort, but he could not. He thought about how absolutely mad he was currently acting, and then about how he would have been if he would have known about the letter.

"You're right," James drawled, his shoulders sagging in defeat.

"I know I am, but you're right too, I'm sorry," Sirius apologized, clapping James on the back genially.

"I just freaked out," James said, looking up at his best friend helplessly, "Seeing her like that…"

"I know, mate, I know," Sirius said, his voice reassuring.

"I just… I don't know what I would do if I… if I lost… her," James stammered, the thought of losing Lily cutting through him like a knife.

"I know," Sirius whispered, as he too thought of losing his fiery, red-headed friend, and a heavy weight of sadness settled in his stomach.

The boys stood in silence for a moment before a yell emerged from the living room, "James! Sirius! Come quickly!"

The boys rushed into the living room to see Mrs. Potter running towards them, "James, carry Lily upstairs now, I need to administer some potions to her quickly and I can't do it down here. Be gentle with her, her wrist is broken. Sirius stay with James, help him with anything, I need to go get my specialty kit from my room."

James walked hurriedly over to Lily who was beginning to stir. He bent over her slightly moving form and put one arm under her shoulder blades, and the other under her knees and in one swift motion pulled her to his chest, cradling her body with her head resting in the crook of his neck.

He turned on his heel and made his way out of the vast living room, and into the front foyer once more, Sirius following him like a shadow.

"Mum, what room?" James asked as he began to ascend the grand, winding, marble staircase, his feet making an echoing 'thud' throughout the foyer.

"It doesn't matter, James," she called. James continued up the stairs, the thuds of his footfalls resonating throughout the entire house, only broken by his mother's distant call of, "Accio Healer Kit".

James reached the top of the marble stairs, as his mother emerged from his parent's bed room and made her way down the long corridor towards him, two house elves at her heels. Without thinking James entered the first room he came upon, hastened to the large king sized bed, and set Lily gently down upon the dark green comforter, as though she were made of glass. He barely had enough time to pull his arms out from underneath her body before his mother was pushing him out of her way.

"Laney, grab the purple and green potions out of my bag," Mrs. Potter ordered the tall, thin, wide-eyed house elf to her left.

"Yes, Madam Potter," the elf named Laney responded squeakily, as she bowed lowly, and darted to the large lime green bag Mrs. Potter had dropped on the floor upon entering the room.

"Pim, help Laney," Mrs. Potter commanded the stout elf to her right listlessly, as she looked Lily over once more.

Laney, along with Pim's help, lugged the large lime green bag over to Mrs. Potter's feet, and began to search for the purple and green potions hidden within its folds.

"Mum, is she going to be okay?" James asked shakily as he watched his mother grab the potions out of the hands of the house elves.

She did not respond, as she uncorked the purple potion, propped Lily's head back, and poured it down her throat.

"Mum, is she going to be alright?" James asked again, his voice gaining stability.

She seemed deaf to her son's voice as she began to mutter incantations under her breath to mend Lily's wrist.

"Mum?" James asked his voice much stronger than he himself felt.

Mrs. Potter continued to tend to Lily and ignored James as he continued to plead with her to answer him. She had finished mending Lily's wrist, and as she was wrapping it with a bandage, James' begging was becoming overwhelming.

"Mum, will you just…" he began.

"James, get out now!" she said slowly and purposefully. She had not yelled but the power in her voice still frightened James slightly.

"Sirius, take James downstairs and finish making lunch, Lily will probably be hungry when she wakes up," Mrs. Potter said, before the house elves shooed the boys from the room.

--

Consciousness slowly crept into Lily's mind, as she rolled onto her back. Her body ached at every move she made, but she realized quickly that the surface she was currently reclining upon was soft, comfortable, and warm. She slowly opened her eyes, happy to find that her head no longer throbbing. She discovered she was in an over sized king size bed, Sirius Black reclining at her feet. He was lying directly parallel with the end of the bed, his head propped up on one arm as he lazily flicked through what looked like a large book, his long legs stretching to what should've been the end of the massive bed. She shifted a bit in her spot to find the bed she was lying in was beyond comfortable, and she smiled slightly at Sirius's obvious concentration on the book he was reading.

"What are you doing here, Black?" Lily asked, her voice cracking with every syllable.

"Watching you until you're awake," he replied, lazily flicking another page, before realizing what just happened. With a quick snap of his head he looked up, his eyes wide and mouth agape.

"You're awake," he said thunderstruck.

"I'm awake," Lily reiterated, not very sure of how to handle the somewhat awkward situation. It wasn't everyday she found herself lying in a bed large enough to swallow her up with Sirius Black lying prostrate at her feet.

"Merlin fucking Grindlewald! You're awake!" Sirius cried, jumping out of his position at the foot of bed as he scrambled up the bed to hug Lily fiercely. After a moment he pulled away, "How are you feeling?"

"I'm sore," she replied.

"Yeah, that wrist has got to hurt," Sirius said pointing to her tightly wrapped left wrist.

"What happened to me?" Lily asked, lifting up her left arm to stare at her wrist, as though she had never properly seen a hand before.

"I was hoping you could tell me," Sirius said gently, pulling his legs under him into an Indian-style position.

"What do you mean?" Lily inquired, as she sat up, propping her weak body up against the head board.

"Don't you remember?" Sirius asked, worry flooding his voice.

"Remember what, Sirius?" Lily asked, fear filling her body.

"Lily, you were kidnapped," Sirius said gently, taking her right hand in his.

The memories came pouring back into Lily's mind as she shut her eyes hard. The mansion, Severus, the Cruciatus curse, Severus letting her go, everything hit her like the Knight Bus.

"Oh my…" she didn't know what to say. Her eyes flew open.

"Can you remember anything?" Sirius asked, imploring her eyes gently, hoping there wasn't any brain damage that Mrs. Potter may have missed while examining her.

"It's a bit murky," she said, shutting her eyes once more, and shaking her head.

"Don't try too hard right now," Sirius said in a placating tone, gently pushing her back into a lying position, before climbing off the bed and walking to the door, "Just rest. I'm going to go get James."

"James?" Lily said, her eyes popping open once more at the sound of James' name, as she pulled herself into a sitting position once more "James is here? And where exactly is here? And how did you get me here? And—"

"Woah, slow down there Tiger Lily," Sirius said holding up a hand to stop her outburst of questions, before walking back over to her, setting himself on the edge of the dark green comforter, "Of course James is here, this is his house."

"Wait," Lily stopped him, "This is James' house?"

"Yep," Sirius said cheerily, "My second home. My first being Hogwarts, of course."

"Wow, I knew they were well off, but this…" Lily said in awe, looking around the beautifully adorned room filled with rich mahogany furniture.

"They don't call it Potter Manor for nothing," Sirius smirked at her obvious admiration.

"Wow," Lily breathed heavily as she continued to look around the high ceilinged room.

"Well, I'm going to go grab James and Remus, just rest for a minute because they're both going to have kittens over you when they get up here," Sirius said, before squeezing her hand gently, and walking towards the door again.

"Wow, and to think this is just a guest room," Lily sighed, still staring at the ornate room.

"What?" Sirius asked, turning around to look at her.

"I said and this is just a guest room, I don't even want to imagine what the rest of the house looks like," Lily said looking at him.

"This isn't a guest room, Tiger Lily," Sirius corrected her, laughing slightly.

"What do you mean?" Lily asked, her interest piqued.

"This is James' room," Sirius said, laughing slightly as he turned around, and softly closed the door, leaving Lily to mull over the realization that she was lying in James Potter's bed.

She had little time to contemplate this startling reality before the door swung open with a bang that fairly removed it from its old hinges. "Lily!" James shouted as he sprinted into the room. She barely had time to breathe before she found herself engulfed in his embrace.

"James," she gasped through the mingled reaction of pain at the sudden movement of her stiff muscles and his obvious worry over her.

"You're alive!" he fairly croaked his hands, large and familiar brushing away the strands of hair near her face. She nodded, for that was all she could manage with the sudden rush of awareness that he had sprawled himself on top of her in his leap onto the large bed. "Are you alright? Do you need anything? I'm going to stay right here…Are you comfortable?"

"I'm…I'm fine," she stammered as James pressed a rather sudden kiss on her temple.

"Thank Merlin," he whispered, pulling back slightly to look into her eyes, a radiant smile beaming through his own.

Behind them, Remus cleared his throat from where he and Sirius still stood in the doorway. "It's good to see you awake," he said with a slightly pained smile as James smiled sheepishly and sat up to offer her more room.

"I don't really know how I ended up here, but thanks," Lily said, the gratitude evident in her voice. She went to push herself up into a sitting position, forgetting about the possible tenderness in her newly healed left wrist.

"Careful," James warned sweeping his arms behind her for support the moment she winced. "You just had a bone almost re-grown last night." Lily blinked stupidly. Who could care about a bone when their chests were pressed together like that?

Lily had to turn her head away as her face blushed a bright shade of red at the realization. "Um…how long have I been here exactly?" she inquired wondering why James hadn't saw fit to release her yet. In fact, he was holding her up with one arm while the other was busy stacking pillows to prop her up. She wondered if he meant to keep brushing _that _area with the movement.

"Since around two yesterday," Sirius answered cheerily, his good spirits restored now that Lily was awake and James's bad temper had vanished. "I brought you here myself," he added proudly. "What?" he asked when Remus rolled his eyes at his obvious pride.

"I don't think you should be expecting praise when you acted so foolishly," Remus said in a manner that was a little sharp for his usual tranquil demeanor. "Going alone to Diagon Alley," he added when Sirius gave him a perplexed look.

Sirius opened his mouth to respond but James interjected. "At least we have Lily back and she's safe. But Sirius won't do something so stupid ever again." The last part carried a weight that took Sirius aback. Both he and Lily, who was still held in the confines of James' arms, stared at him for a few moments. Sirius nodded his understanding finally. James returned the nod, pushing his glasses up his nose with an accustomed gesture.

Lily sat in the tense silence, her gaze drifting between James, Sirius, and Remus, waiting for someone to break the drawn-out stillness. As if listening to her thoughts, her stomach gave an almighty rumble.

"Hungry there, Tiger Lily?" Sirius asked, lifting an eyebrow, chuckling softly, as both the other boys laughed lightly at the large noise that had come from their petite friend.

"Well, a little," Lily lied. She was incredibly hungry, she couldn't remember the last time she had eaten, and there was a smell wafting through the doorway Remus and Sirius were propped against that was tempting her nostrils with every passing moment.

"We'll go get you something," Remus volunteered himself and Sirius, grabbing his friend by the scruff of the neck and hauling him into the brightly lit hallway and down the stairs.

"Do you want anything else? Are you comfortable enough? Do need water? I can get mum to get you some pain medicine…" James started as soon as the other boys left the room.

"James," Lily breathed, cutting right across his onslaught of concerned questions.

"Yes? He responded softly, his brown eyes imploring her emerald ones, his worry for her seeping practically seeping out of his pores.

"I am fine," Lily said, placing her hand on his upper arm to placate him.

"Are you sure?" he asked, his arm still wrapped around her back.

"Yes," she huffed, her temper starting to rise slightly, "But, I do have some questions of my own."

"Okay…" James said apprehensively.

"How did I get here? How long have I been here? Where exactly is here? Do my parents know where I am? When am I going home? What day is it? Do Spencer and El--"

"Wow, slow down, Lils," James said, smiling lightly as she began to breathe heavily.

"How did I get here?" she asked again, her eyes narrowing slightly, daring him to lie to her.

James explained to her about the note sent, and how Sirius had intercepted it and taken it upon himself to "play the hero" as James said it. He explained how she had only arrived yesterday afternoon and how she had only been recuperating for about a day. He told her that her parents had been contacted and told that she was safe, but that because she had gotten away it was probably much safer for her to stay at Potter Manor for the rest of the holidays, and that Spencer and Electra would most likely be joining the group in two days to see Lily and exchange Christmas gifts.

"… and to answer one of your last questions… It's Christmas Eve," he ended.

"So I'm here for the rest of break?" she asked a bit crestfallen at not getting to see her family over the holidays.

"Yeah," James answered, "Sorry," he finished, sensing her sadness.

"No, it's fine," Lily said quickly, the words tumbling out of her mouth one after the other, "It's not that. I just miss them sometimes. I barely see them anymore, and Petunia's more distant than ever lately, and I was really hoping to mend our relationship this holiday, but I guess it will just have to wait. But, I am so grateful to you and your parents for letting me stay here and keeping me safe," she finished, breathing heavily, trying to catch her breath.

"I'm sorry you can't be with your family over the holidays, and it's not a problem at all having you here," James said, grinning at her.

"Thanks," she said, as she flushed slightly with embarrassment, and looked down at her lap. She didn't know why she was embarrassed. Maybe it was because she was sitting in James Potter's bed, with James Potter. Or maybe it was because his arm was still wrapped loosely around her waist. Or possibly it was because as they were talking their heads were slowly drifting towards each other.

"Lily," James breathed her name softly. Lily's head snapped up at the sound of her name almost smacking James' nose as he had become so close.

"Wow," Lily said, as she looked James directly in the eye, "You're really, really close."

"Well, yeah," James said slightly incredulously, "That's kind of what happens when you go to kiss someone."

"I know," Lily breathed heavily, her heart thudding in her chest quickly, "It's just… Wow…You're _really_ close."

"I'm going to kiss you now," James whispered, as his eyes began to flutter closed.

"Really?" Lily asked disbelievingly, "Right now? Is this really an appropriate time?"

James pulled back slightly, opened his eyes the hurt apparent in the brown orbs, "Do you not want me to kiss you?" he asked, his voice small.

"No, no I do!" Lily said, realizing her mistake, "It's just Remus and Sirius will be back up here any minute…"

"They won't care…" James interrupted.

"…and I've just gotten back from being kidnapped…"

"But, you're back now, and you're safe!"

" And most importantly, you're laying on top of me, in your bed!"" Lily finished, her arms now folded across her chest, her face displaying what would've been a stern look had she not blushed so deeply her cheek color began to rival the color of the armchairs in the Gryffindor Common Room.

"Well, that doesn't bother me…" James said cheekily.

"James!" she exclaimed scandalized, slapping him playfully on the shoulder.

"Does it really bother you that much? I was hoping we'd get to this stage eventually," James said honestly, not really realizing what he was saying.

"I can not believe we are having this conversation right now," Lily said darkly, shaking her head as she put it in her hands so he could not see her laughing.

"You make it sound as though I'm going to rape you…" James said slightly put off.

"Rape?" Sirius questioned as he bounded into the bedroom shoving the grapes he was carrying into Remus' arms, and hopped onto the bed, vaulting over Lily's body landing next to her on his side, propping his head up with his elbow, looking up at Lily seductively, "Don't worry, Fair Lily, I have come to save you from Prongs and his eager antler. Grape?" he offered her, pulling grapes from out of nowhere, dangling them in front of her face. She grabbed the grapes eagerly, and began eating them as the boys continued to bicker.

"I was not going to rape her" James said, his tone one of agitation at his friend's bravado, "And if I have an antler, what do you have?"

"The tail in between his legs," Remus answered before Sirius could open his mouth to respond, as he pulled a chair up to Lily's bedside. Lily spit out the grape in her mouth, spraying James, as she began to laugh.

"You should know, Moony, you have one too," Siruis shot back, "But, I do believe yours is furrier."

"Oh, Merlin," James breathed exasperated by his friends behavior.

"I feel like I have a harem," Lily said shaking her head from side to side, looking at the boys all around her in disbelief, "A very perverted harem."

"Another grape, Lily dearest?" Sirius offered her, trying to feed it to her.

"Only if you're not going to try and feed it to me," she said, her eyes flashing towards her friend to her left.

"Hey, if anyone's going to be feeding her grapes it's going to be me," James said territorially.

"Excuse me," Lily snapped, her head swiveling to look at the boy by her legs, "but I think I decide who puts what in my mouth."

The boys stared at her wide-eyed, and she stared back at them, not realizing what she had just said.

"What?" Lily screeched.

"You should not have said that," Remus said, shaking his head, "to their perverted minds, that sounded incredibly wrong."

"I just said-- OH GOD!" she exclaimed, slapping her hands to her face.

"Us? Perverted minds, Mr. Tail-In-Between-Sirius's-Leg's?" James countered.

"Don't make me break off your antler," Remus shot back.

"I think all you animals need to be neutered," Lily murmured exasperatedly, popping another grape into her mouth.

"Ah- hem," a feminine voice called from the door.

"Oh, hi, Mum," James called, his head whipping around to his doorway.

"Hello, Mrs. Potter!" Lily greeted James's mother brightly as she walked into the room.

"Hello, dear, how are you feeling?" she asked as she approached Lily.

"I'm fine, except for these nuisances," Lily joked, gesturing to the boys situated around her.

Mrs. Potter took one look at the boys around her patient and in a firm voice, pointing to the door, stated, "Out".

"But, Mum…" James groaned.

"Mrs. Potter, I was only jok--" Lily began.

"Out, I need to examine my patient, and she needs her rest," Mrs. Potter said. James was about to press the matter, but the look in his mothers eyes said that the matter was no longer debatable, and with one last glance at Lily he left his room, Remus and Sirius in tow.

--

Lily woke with a start. She felt slightly disoriented, and as the room began to come into focus and the reason she had awoken so suddenly came into view.

"James?" she asked groggily, even though she didn't need to, she knew that head of hair in any light.

"You're up?' he asked, his head snapping up from the book that was set in his lap as he reclined in the plush green armchair in the corner of his bedroom, a small reading lamp on the side table, dimly lit.

"Yeah," she answered lamely, "What are you doing here?"

"I was… watching you," James answered sheepishly.

"Oh," she answered, not sure how else to respond.

"Well, and I also wanted to apologize," James began as he stood up and shuffled over to the bed, sitting down next to her, "for earlier…" he trailed off.

"Oh, that," Lily said, she really didn't know how to react to a boy apologizing to her for trying to kiss her, while she was sleeping in his bed, in the middle of the night.

"It's just," James continued, tearing his gaze from her, and looking away embarrassed, "I was just so glad you were okay and with me, and everything was going to be alright… I just let myself get carried away, and what I'm trying to say is… I'm sorry."

James felt Lily shift slightly on the bed, "I didn't mean to offend you, or make you uncomfortable, and I want you to know how sorry I am," he continued as he felt her move into a sitting position, her legs pushing his back as she moved into an Indian- style position at his side, "You… just mean… you mean a lot to me, and I don't want to ruin our friendship, and I'm sorry," he finished, finally summoning his Gryffindor courage to look at her.

"Woah… you're really close," he stuttered out realizing the close proximity to his face she had taken while he had his head turned.

"Yeah, I know," she whispered. James could feel her breath dancing across his face.

"You're really,_ really _close," he continued to ramble.

"That's kind of what happens when you go to kiss someone," Lily said quietly, duplicating his words from earlier.

"I know, it's just…" his breath hitched in his throat.

"Do you not want me to kiss you, James?" she asked, as they continued to drift even closer together.

"You've gotta be kidding me," he breathed, before quickly closing the gap between the two of them. Their lips met in a soft blend of sighs. Lily felt a star burst behind her eyelids and then promptly die out as James pulled away abruptly.

"What is it?" she asked a sinking feeling erupting in her stomach as she wondered if she really did kiss _that_ badly.

"I just…wanted to make sure that this is real," James said, his eyes wide behind his askew glasses. His hands patted her side, checking to make sure that she was solid and not a figment of his imagination. "I mean _I'm _kissing Lily Evans," he pronounced in amazement. "I'm kissing _you! _And _you _were kissing me back!"

"James," Lily said almost roughly, stilling the hand that had roved into dangerous territory as it was trying to ascertain whether _everything_ about her was real, "if you ever want it to happen again…Shut up." James closed his mouth with a snap and Lily let out a euphoric laugh as she divested him of his glasses.

"I can't see," he complained loudly then remembered Lily's previous words and stopped talking.

"You're just going to close your eyes anyway," she said, and without another word her lips crashed into his in a way that made him thank Merlin he was already sitting down because he was sure his legs would've given out had he been standing.

And the fact that they were both on James' large feather bed seemed to disappear as his hand gripped her hip instinctively as her hands, shaking slightly fisted themselves in the fabric of his shirt and pulled him down so that he was lying over her. There was a strange strangled noise from one of them, Lily wasn't quite sure which one, and Lily almost whined in displeasure when James broke apart, gasping for breath. His smile shone brighter than the roaring fire in the grate and she couldn't help but let out another shocked laugh at the sheer enjoyment she got from merely looking at his face, knowing that she put that grin there.

"What?" he demanded, the smile fading a little as uncertainty took over.

"Nothing," she smiled, reaching up to brush his flyaway hair out of his face. "You just look like Christmas came early."

"That's because it has," he responded, his hand cupping her neck and bringing her lips to meet his once more. Lily allowed herself to melt back into the softness of the mattress as his comfortable weight settled on top of her. _Christmas indeed, _she thought before thinking became altogether impossible.

A/N: Here's the part where you review... the more reviews the faster the update! We're serious, we'll actually update! (We're not Sirius, we're Severus)


	14. The Worst Day Since Yesterday

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A/N: Okay, so we suck. Just read and enjoy.

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**Chapter 14:**

**The Worst Day Since Yesterday**

Sirius Black awoke with a start in the darkness, his dark eyes peering into the dim light for the cause of the disturbance. He felt fine, if not a little parched. There was nothing out of the ordinary in his bedroom which would have caused him to awaken.

He figured that he might as well go and get a drink since he was up. Sliding out of his bed, he made his way toward the door as silently as possible so as not to wake James, who was temporarily rooming with him on a camp bed while Lily was occupying his room.

Sirius' head whipped around to stare at the camp bed by the door. It was empty. Sirius strained his ears in the stillness, trying to discern if there was something going on that would have led James to vacate his bed.

Unless he had never been in it. This meant that he was probably in the last place Sirius had left him…with Lily.

Grinning madly, Sirius turned the door handle carefully to prevent it from squeaking and made his way into the hallway.

_This was going to be good._

- - -

_This is the best Christmas ever_, James Potter had decided enthusiastically over a half an hour ago when he had _finally_ kissed Lily Evans for the first time in his relatively short lifespan.

"James," Lily said quickly in between kisses.

"Hm?" he replied before swiftly covering her mouth with his once more.

"You're shoulder is pinning down my hair," she pointed out as her hand curled even tighter around his bicep, bringing him even closer.

"So?" he asked, much more preoccupied with exploring the suddenly exposed skin of her throat as she leaned away from him, trying to free her hair.

"So, it hurts you idiot," she said, slapping the back of his head as best she could.

The slap seemed to knock James back into some semblance of reality, for his eyes traveled swiftly to where his right shoulder was indeed pinning Lily's hair to the bed.

"Shit, Lily, I'm sorry," James apologized, rolling swiftly onto his back and bringing Lily with him.

"James!" she practically squealed, her newly freed hair falling in front of her face.

"What?" he demanded, tucking the offensive strands behind her ear. He stared bemusedly as she began to struggle against his hold. "What's wrong?"

"You can't just pull me on top of you…in your bed!" Lily stated as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Why not?" James asked, curling his hand behind her neck and guiding her face towards his once more. "You didn't seem to mind too much a second ago when it was the other way around."

"You're insufferable, James Potter," Lily sighed, flopping forward in defeat to lay her head on his chest.

"Like I haven't heard that one before," he chuckled, pulling the covers over them both. He wound their hands together, relishing the contact.

"Not like it ever stopped you," Lily mumbled against his chest.

"Did you want it to?" James questioned uncertainly, panic flaring suddenly.

"No," Lily answered warmly, "otherwise I would have missed out on this." She snuggled closer even as she added, "we shouldn't be doing this."

The panic which had settled slightly rose again. "Doing what?" he asked, his voice an octave higher. He didn't know _what_ he would do if Lily said that they shouldn't be in a relationship.

"Staying in the same bed after we just kissed for the first time. It makes me seem incredibly easy," Lily added with a frown. What if James only appreciated the chase and now that she had veritably given up, there was no more appeal?

James could not hold back the spurt of joyous laughter which erupted out of him. He turned them so that they were curled up, facing each other. "Trust me, Lily," he said, the humor shining in his eyes, "the last thing I would call you is easy."

"Just what are you implying," she demanded, her emerald eyes glittering suspiciously in the light of the dying fire.

"Seven years, that's all I'm saying," James said, pressing his lips to hers once more. "We should sleep," he added, his lips brushing against hers with every word. "Mum would kill me if she knew I wasn't letting her patient rest."

"Alright," she added adjusting her head on the pillow. "But you have to give me my goodnight kiss first." She lifted her chin, puckering her swollen lips in an over exaggerated way.

"Yes, ma'am," James responded, fulfilling her request enthusiastically.

It was at this exact moment that Sirius chose to crack open the door. He glanced around the room, half-expecting to see his best friend soundly asleep in the armchair he had left him in. What he did see was so, so much better.

"MY EYES!" he shouted, throwing the door open with one hand while clapping the other one over his face. "MY INNOCENT EYES!" he exclaimed.

Lily broke away from James with a surprised squeak. James swore, his voice loud enough to carry over Sirius'. Sirius paused when he took in the rather rumpled sight of his best friend and the girl of his dreams, both flushed with swollen lips.

"Were you snogging?" Sirius asked dumbfounded as he watched James struggle for freedom with the sheets.

"Yes," Lily replied, the surprise wearing off and irritation quickly replacing it.

"And we were rather enjoying it!" James finished, hopping out onto the floor, still conducting a rather vigorous battle with the bed sheet that had ensnared his left foot.

"Wonderful," Sirius exclaimed before dashing out into the hallway. "MUM! MRS. POTTER, WAKE UP!" he bellowed, racing down the hallway. "FORNICATION IN THE HOUSEHOLD!"

James managed to wrench his foot free just as he heard Remus' bleary voice from the landing below above to know if everything was alright.

"It's just fine, dearest, Moony, it's just fine," Sirius said brightly as he raced past Remus, continuing to make the biggest racket possible.

"It won't be in a second," James interjected as he sprinted down the stairs after Sirius, wand drawn.

"James!" Lily panted exasperatedly as she tried in vain to catch up, her newly recovered body not yet ready to take the strain of running. She clutched the banister for support, rolling her eyes at Remus as he made his way down to the second floor. "Trust Sirius to ruin a perfectly fine evening," she commented.

"And what were you doing which put Sirius into such an excited state?" Remus asked as Sirius' shouts of "FORNICATION IN THE MANOR!" continued to echo on the second floor landing.

"Well we were…er," Lily began blushing.

"Fornicating?" Remus supplied dryly.

"Of course not!" Lily replied hotly as she followed Remus in the direction of the raised voices which were now coming from the main living room.

"Is everyone alright?" Mr. Potter demanded as he hurried out from the master suite on the second floor as fast as his injured leg would allow. His wand was drawn, his trained eyes scanning the second floor landing for any sign of attack. Most men would have looked utterly ridiculous poised in an attack stance in red plaid flannel pajamas but Phillip Potter was one intimidating man.

"What's the situation?" Mrs. Potter barked, hot on her husbands heels, her own lit wand held out in front of her.

"Where are James and Sirius?" Mr. Potter demanded, clearly still under the impression that his house was under attack.

"They're down there, Mr. Potter," Remus replied pointing down the large staircase, his utterly unpaniced voice having an immediate soothing effect on the assembled group.

"What is going on?" Mrs. Potter demanded, tucking a strand of her loose dark hair out of her eyes as she made her way over to the irritated Lily and Remus and led the quartet down the stairs to Sirius and James who were standing in the middle of giant front foyer.

"I'll tell you what's going on," Sirius said, bouncing up and down excitedly on his heels, "we just won a whole lot of galleons!"

Phillip Potter blinked, clearly confused, his eyes taking in the sight of his only son glowering dangerously at his best friend. He locked eyes with Sirius who was staring at his surrogate parents meaningfully. "You mean…"

"You kissed?" Mrs. Potter cut in, staring at her son with surprise and obvious delight.

"I don't see why that warrants this idiot waking up the entire house," James snarled.

"They were snogging on James' bed!" Sirius stated gleefully, galleon signs practically glowing in his eyes as he twirled Mrs. Potter around. "Electra's going to be so pissed off!"

"I don't see why that is making you so happy, Sirius," Remus said, as he sat down in a plush armchair.

"Because Moony," Sirius said, bounding over and grabbing the lapels of his friends pajamas, "not only was I right knowing that they were _bound_ to get together before Christmas, but we also cleaned out everyone who bet against us! That's half the school!"

"Well, I don't know about you James, but I'm so glad that our personal lives are used to feed the school's betting pool," Lily snapped mordantly, her face flushed with embarrassment. "Even your parents," she groaned. "This is so humiliating," she said, burying her face in James' shoulder.

"Don't worry, love," James said, wrapping his arm around her waist protectively, "I'll kill them in the morning."

"Don't maim your parents to badly," Lily teased, "Or Remus, he didn't bet on anything. You didn't, did you?" she added fiercely glaring at the meekest of the Marauders.

"No, of course, I wouldn't sink so low," Remus said dodgily, his eyes searching for Sirius' face.

"You bet against us didn't you?" James asked in a monotone.

"Sirius wouldn't leave me alone!" Remus defended himself, "I just wanted to study for Charms!"

"Which reminds me," Sirius said greedily, cutting across the room and curtly sticking his hand out, palm up to Remus, "Pay up, dearest Moony."

"I only bet a knut," Remus exclaimed, "Are you seriously going to make me go get a knut in the middle of the night!"

"Come on, Remus, I need it so I can cross your name off my list. It is quite extensive and one less person on it would be a help to me," Sirius smiled devilishly, flexing the fingers of his outstretched palm slightly.

"I can't believe you bet against us," James muttered darkly.

"I JUST WANTED TO STUDY FOR CHARMS!" Remus exclaimed loudly defending himself.

"I need a nightcap," Mr. Potter said, shaking his head slightly pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose.

"Good idea," Sirius cheered throwing his arms in the air delightedly, "Drinks all around!"

Mr. Potter shook his head dejectedly, and then looking at Sirius and the other three teenagers motioned for them to follow him into the main living room as he led the way, Sirius at his heels like an excited puppy.

"You can not be serious, Philip," Mrs. Potter scolded her husband as her son and his friends made their way past her stern figure.

"No, that's me, Mum," Sirius called back cheekily, whipping his head back to smile at her winningly.

"Oh, Merlin," Mrs. Potter mumbled, "Now I need a drink."

"Oh, come on, Mum," James said lightly, as though he forgot that he had been furious only moments ago, "It's not like we aren't legal _and_ it is Christmas Eve."

"Plus, he just got torn of bed with one of the most amazing women ever," Sirius added, plopping down on one of the plush couches.

"Aw, thanks, Sirius, I really should have gotten you a better Christmas gift," Lily said, sitting down next to James on the couch across from Sirius. She glanced over at James who was glaring darkly at the small area of sofa that separated them and looked up at her and asked, "Who are you trying to kid here?" before wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her into his lap.

"James!" she squealed, "I am trying to maintain a semblance of dignity, here."

"And I am trying to maintain a semblance of manhood," James replied.

"Alright, James, now who are you trying to kid," Sirius called across the room as Mr. Potter handed him a drink.

"You really do want to be neutered, don't you?" James responded as Lily tried to squirm out of his grasp and get her own seat on the couch. Sirius began to choke on his drink at this comment, and Remus, in an attempt to appear as though he was not laughing, covered his mouth as though he were yawning.

"Why would Sirius need to be neutered?" Mrs. Potter asked suspiciously, raising an eyebrow at her son.

"Because he's a…"

"FILTHY, INBRED BLOOD TRAITORS! WHERE IS MY SON?" screeched a voice from the fireplace.

"Like you can talk!" James bellowed from his seat as the perturbed face of Mrs. Black appeared in the dancing green flames of the fireplace.

"WHERE IS MY SON?" Mrs. Black continued to howl.

"Merry Christmas to you, too, Mum," Sirius replied darkly, hoisting himself off the couch to converse with his mother.

"Not you," Mrs. Black spat, "Where is Regalus?"

"How would I know?" Sirius asked incredulously.

"You are his brother," Mrs. Black said scandalized, "Do you not know where your brother is at all times?"

"I don't know where he is at all times," Sirius replied as he knelt down in front of the fire, "I actually dissociate myself from him as much as possible."

"I am ashamed of you!" Mrs. Black hollered, "You should try and follow your brother's example…"

"Mr. Potter," Sirius turned his head around to face Philip Potter, ignoring his mother, "We really need to get off the main floo network."

"I'll tell the main office," Mr. Potter responded glaring at the head of the woman in his fireplace.

"So you don't know where your brother is?" Mrs. Black asked fervently.

"No, I don't, thank Merlin," Sirius huffed, "Wait, didn't he tell you where he went?"

"If he had I would know where he was now wouldn't I?" Mrs. Black said spitefully.

"Well, he's probably just at a friends house," Sirius supplied, running a hand through his shaggy hair.

"Mrs. Black, only one Black has set foot in this house," Mrs. Potter called from the back of the room, "And you are looking at him, so if you could please leave that would be much appreciated," Catherine Potter's obvious dislike for the woman not masked by the politeness in her tone.

"Fine," Mrs. Black glowered towards the back of the room, "Sirius, if you find out where he is I expect to hear from you."

"Yes," James muttered under his breath, "Because we wouldn't want to keep another son from your loving embrace."

"Watch your mouth, boy," Mrs. Black reprimanded James harshly, "You wish your mother would've taught you the way I have raised my Regalus."

"Excuse me," Lily flared up, "She taught him just fine, thank you very much."

"Hold your tongue, mudblood," Mrs. Black sneered, contorting her face in disgust, as though just looking at Lily was an act of extreme shame.

"I think you've overstayed your welcome in our fireplace, Mrs. Black, and I suggest you find your son quickly, because if I hear any more rumors around my office about him being involved in illegal activities he may not make it home for a very long time, "Mr. Potter said pointedly, as he strode across the room to Sirius' side, setting a fatherly hand on his shoulder.

"I have never…" Mrs. Black began, but was cut off as Sirius threw his drink forcefully into the fire breaking the connection; the eggnog from his glass smattering across the mantle and inside of the fireplace, while the glass shattered across the back of the fireplace, the shards scattering throughout the fireplace.

"Retarded bitch," Sirius muttered standing up, and turning around to face the room as a whole, while Mr. Potter pulled his wand out from inside his pajamas and cleaned up the mess.

"Now, Sirius, how many times have I told you not to use that word?" Mrs. Potter walked forward, wrapping an arm around Sirius' shoulder, "You're mother is clearly insane, not retarded."

"Well put, dear," Mr. Potter before muttering "reparo" and summoning Sirius' now fixed glass to his hand.

"I'm going to bed," Remus said, speaking for the first time in a while, as he pulled himself off the couch and made his way out into the foyer.

"Me too," James said, getting up, "Come on, Lily."

"James," Mrs. Potter called to her son, "Separate beds."

Lily blushed deeply, while James stared at his mother wide-eyed his mouth working furiously to form a coherent thought.

"Goodnight, son," Mr. Potter said, winking discretely.

"Alright, night, Dad," James replied quickly before grabbing Lily's hand and practically dragging her towards the staircase.

--

"Where the hell is Spencer?" Sirius demanded as he paced around the brightly lit living room, "And for that matter where is Pete?"

"He's not coming and she'll be here soon," Electra replied, her frustration with Sirius obvious. She sat with her arms firmly folded across her chest as Sirius walked to and fro in front of her.

"Don't be like that, Electra," Sirius said, smiling cockily, "You're just pissed you lost a lot of money. Shouldn't you be happy to see your friends?"

"I am happy to see them. But, since I can't collect their money, it makes me less happy," Electra scoffed.

"You can collect me later," Sirius said cheekily, winking at her seductively.

"Oh, Merlin, Black, can't I be around you for more then ten minutes without a sexual innuendo being made?" Electra asked, shifting in her seat slightly.

"Of course not, what else would we talk about?" Sirius asked.

"Maybe about how much you want to date each other?" James suggested as he made his way into the room, his arms weighed down with sweets, with Lily trailing behind him carrying innumerable bottles of Butterbeer.

"Just because you two finally got your acts together doesn't mean you can go around playing match maker," Electra exclaimed as she got up to take some food from James.

"She is right, Jamesie," Sirius scolded James lightly as he took a Butterbeer from Lily and uncapped it.

"Oh, yes, because you did such a smashing job of doing that with me and Lily," James retorted smartly, "How much money have you made off of us getting together?"

"Let's just say, a second Gringotts vault was necessary," Sirius rubbed his hands together enthusiastically. "So, how about it Electra? Why don't you let me take you somewhere nice? I do have galleons to burn," he added, tapping his bottle of Butterbeer lightly against Electra's cup.

"It better be really expensive," she murmured, turning her head away, all too aware of the stares of her friends.

"Is there a reason we're staring at Electra like she suddenly turned into a Grindylow?" Remus asked as he entered the room from setting up the last of the fireworks, carrying an empty box with the Filibuster's logo emblazoned on the side. The Marauders' annual fireworks display was an anticipated event, both by the boys who loved to watch things explode, and the Potters' friends who came to celebrate the New Year at the mansion.

"I think she might have just agreed to let Sirius take her out on a date," Lily said carefully, scrutinizing her friend's blushing face and Sirius' dumbstruck expression.

"I suppose the location has to be rather pricey?" Remus inquired, selecting his own bottle of Butterbeer and setting the box on the floor.

"Only the best for my Electra," Sirius breathed, still sitting uncomfortably close to the object of his affections.

"I'm not _your_ anything," Electra snapped, bringing her face unintentionally closer to his.

"I'll be _your _Sirius," he offered helpfully, leaning even closer.

The impending argument or snog, the observing friends could not decide which, was interrupted by the merry chime of the front doorbell.

"I'll answer it," Remus volunteered, getting to his feet and making his way out into the large foyer. He glanced through the large frosted panes of glass, surprised to see Spencer standing on the other side.

"Remus! I apparrated without losing the cake!" she exclaimed happily, her brown hair flecked with melting snow. "Where's Lily?" she demanded, looking around as if expecting her best friend to sprout from the tile.

"Congratulations," Remus said warmly, holding the door open further. "Lily's fine, she's in the living room with James."

"You were worried about the cake? Shouldn't you have been more worried about losing a limb?" Sirius teased as he swaggered into view.

"Siri!" Spencer cried, freezing for a moment before launching herself at him. "Happy New Year!"

Sirius laughed, wrapping his arms around her in return. "Happy New Year, Spen Ben. Come on, we've been waiting." Spencer trailed after Sirius, chatting aimlessly with Remus.

"Spencer!" Lily said, shoving her Butterbeer into James' hand as Spencer entered the room with the boys and rushed over to engulf her friend in her arms.

"Lily, you're alright!" Spencer screeched, rocking her friend back and forth in arms.

"Of course I am," Lily laughed, "the Potters took good care of me," she smiled.

"Especially the youngest one," Electra interjected, smirking. Spencer arched an eyebrow, her grin widening.

"We won?" Spencer asked, glancing at Sirius.

"Of course we did," Sirius declared. "As if James would let us down." He clapped his friend appreciatively on the back. James shot him a warning glare as Lily turned to give him a questioning look.

"I knew nothing about it," James said defensively. "Okay, so I didn't know the details," James amended, placing a repentant kiss on her cheek. She blushed, not used to such open displays of affection.

"Who wants cake?" Spencer said eagerly. "I made it myself with my good friend Ogden," she said proudly, opening the box.

"I would go gay for Ogden," Sirius said, picking up a fork and stabbing enthusiastically into the moist cake without bothering to cut himself a piece.

"Like you aren't already?" Electra said snidely, coming over to retrieve her own utensil.

"I will prove my sexuality once and for all to you at midnight, darling," Sirius grinned, wagging his eyebrows suggestively. For once, Electra couldn't come up with a comeback on time.

--

Lily stepped closer into James' warmth in order to ward off the bitter wind which accompanied the otherwise clear winter's night. James wrapped his cloak tighter around her where they sat on the large porch, facing skyward. The Potters guests had followed the teens' example and were milling around the grounds in expectation of the fireworks display.

"How long until it starts?" Spencer asked, her teeth chattering slightly in the cold.

"It should be very soon," Remus said. "Sirius and Electra went to go set them off."

James snorted. "Do you think they misunderstood what fireworks they were supposed to set off?"

The four teens laughed. "Honestly, how long can it take? It's almost midnight," Spencer declared scooting herself closer to Lily and pulling Remus tighter on her other side. "Huddling for body warmth," she explained.

"You do know that there are insulation spells, don't you?" Remus asked, moving his hand toward his pocket to draw out his wand.

"Shhh," Spencer hissed, forcing his hand out of sight again. "Let Lily and James have a moment here."

"What's that?" James asked, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose in order to see better.

"Looks like an owl," Remus replied, squinting into the darkness.

"Oh, it'd better move or the poor thing will get hit with a firework!" Spencer said, distress evident in her voice. James stifled a chuckle.

"Do you find the demise of a poor defenseless animal amusing?" Lily demanded, turning to face him, emerald eyes glinting dangerously in the dim light.

"No," James replied quickly, "just the mental image of it." James was spared as the subject of their conversation fluttered down in front of them, hooting insistently. It came to hover in midair, directly in front of Lily's face, holding its leg out expectantly.

"Looks like the poor defenseless animal has a message for you," James said, encasing the bird in his large hands, allowing Lily to remove the envelope of thick, official-looking parchment from its spiny leg.

Lily turned the letter over in her hands in order to read her name written in a thick black ink on the front. She squinted at the wax seal on the back, trying to make out the letter's origins. She broke the seal, drawing out the parchment and unfolding the contents.

"Look!" Spencer said, one finger pointing at the sky where a single firework had just been shot off, a second one following soon after.

"Ten," James began counting down excitedly. Lily's eyes did not turn skyward to stare as another golden explosion blossomed in the sky, heralding the New Year. In fact, she could not tear them away from the words written in such a neat hand.

She did not even register the mirthful shouts or the rather off key chorus of _Auld Lang Syne _which had begun. She did not make any move as James titled her chin up to kiss her as multicolored sparks rained down over the manor grounds.

"What's wrong?" James paused in mid-motion, his eyes widening as a tear fell onto the hand cupping Lily's cheek.

"They're dead," Lily whispered, her eyes staring unseeingly into his.

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A/N: Happy Fucking New Years, Lily Evans. (Shake heads) Yes. We are horrible people. Make us feel better by reviewing.


	15. If You Want It To Be Good Girl Get Your

A/N: In our defense, we'd just like to say that this WAS a quick update in comparison to the others. It was also quite difficult to start but once we got going…boy, we got going. You'll see what we mean when you read it. And now, we present to you, our exercise in parallelism. Yes, it is supposed to creep you out a little.

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**Chapter 15:  
****If You Want It To Be Good Girl (Get Yourself a Bad Boy)**

"Lily, could you please pass the milk?" James asked her from across the table as he shoveled in another forkful of scrambled eggs. James glanced up as he received no response from the minute red-head seated across from him. She continued to stare morosely at her half-filled plate of bacon and eggs, completely unaware of the fact that anyone else was even in the room with her, let alone that James was trying to get her attention.

"Lily, could you please pass the milk?" James reiterated, shifting all of his attention to getting Lily to grab the jug of milk to her left and hand it to him. She continued to ignore him, making no move for the jug of milk or her untouched food.

"Lily…" James stated, his voice rising. Sirius, Remus, Electra, Spencer, and Peter's heads all turning at the sound of James stern tone. Lily continued to pay no attention to James or anyone around her.

"Lily!" as James' voice continued to rise, the babble throughout the hall began to die down, heads turning towards the Gryffindor table.

"Lily!" James was practically screaming at her as now, even the teachers at the head table began to shoot glances over at the commotion.

"James, don't you think-" Sirius started.

"Sirius, shut up!" James silenced his friend, holding up a hand.

"Lily! Lily! Damn it! Pass the milk," James hollered harshly across the table. At this outburst any other noise that had existed within the Great Hall diminished immediately and all eyes were upon James and Lily. Lily's head finally turned upward, revealing her face and James instantly regretted his hostile behavior as he took in her drawn out expression. Her blood-shot eyes contrasted wildly against her unnaturally sallow skin, while her usually vibrant smile had become permanently replaced by a grimace that made James' heart break every time he saw it.

"Oh, Merlin, Lily, I'm so sorry," James hurriedly apologized for his actions, reaching out for her hand which laid lifelessly on the table. She retracted her hand swiftly from his grasp and began fiddling with her hands fretfully in her lap as her face once again turned downward.

"No…" she whispered hoarsely, sounding as though she hadn't used her voice in weeks, which James noted, she hadn't. She began to twist her hands in her lap before she looked up at him and hurriedly said, "No, I'm sorry", before swiftly getting up off the bench and retreating towards the Entrance Hall.

"Lily!" James called after her, standing up, making to follow her but deciding against it as she didn't even acknowledge that he was calling her name.

"Fuck," he groaned loudly so that the entire hall heard him, dejectedly dropping back into his seat at the bench, propping his elbows on the table and setting his head in his hands, "Why am I such an ass?"

"You're not an ass," Sirius placated his friend patting him on the back. "You're just frustrated and overwhelmed."

"We all are," Electra sighed from her position across from Sirius, as the students and teachers throughout the Great Hall began to return to their previous conversations.

"But, I shouldn't have yelled at her, she didn't deserve that," James continued, "After everything she's been through, I never should have…"

"James, don't beat yourself up over it," Remus said solemnly from James' right, "It's been almost eight weeks since she got the letter, she needs to begin moving on and your frustration with her behavior is understandable, though I do agree that your harshness was a little unnecessary…"

Sirius shot Remus a withering glare over James' head.

"What?" Remus asked , "I am not going to lie to make this better. Her parents were killed by Death Eaters in some random muggle attack, while she was safe at Potter Manor. She blames herself, and that letter from her sister did not help the matter whatsoever…"

"Dumb bitch," James muttered under his breath.

"That we all agree on," Spencer concurred from her spot next to Electra as she distractedly took a sip of orange juice as her eyes were glued across the room at the farthest table.

"What was she thinking sending Lily a letter like that," Electra snarled, "If I could get my hands on that little…"

"Trust me, the plans of dearest Petunia's demise are already in the works," Sirius said darkly, glaring scathingly at his glass of milk as though it had been the one that sent Lily the note blaming her "abnormality" for her parents death.

"It's absolutely appalling," James stated, lifting his heads out of his hands and ruffling his hair anxiously.

"Yes, we all agree," Remus bit out callously, surprising the others with his show of anger, his usually calm façade now gone, replaced with a glower, "but discussing it more is not going to help the matter. How are we going to get Lily to start acting normally again?"

"That's the thing!" James burst out once more, "I don't know! I've tried everything. I've been at her side non-stop, I've done the whole giving her space thing, we threw her that party for her birthday… I don't know anymore, Remus…"

"There's got to be something else," Electra mumbled as the Great Hall began to fill with noise. Benches scraped against the stone floor and the chatter grew louder as the students filed out of the hall for classes. Without even noticing that her friends were not even aware of the movement out of the hall, Spencer grabbed her bag, got up from her seat, and exited the hall with the rest of the students, her eyes never leaving the far side of the throng.

"What, no lame excuse about forgetting something this time?" Electra asked angrily, watching her friend's form fade into the mass of students making their way up the marble staircase.

"I have been noticing Spencer has become quite forgetful lately," Remus remarked as he made to stand to follow the other students.

"I'm beginning the get worried about her," Electra admitted as she too stood up and grabbed her bag and Lily's forgotten one off the floor.

"You don't think we've been so wrapped up with Lily that something happened with Spencer and we missed it?" Sirius asked as he and James followed Remus' lead out of the Great Hall.

"Well, there's only one way to find out," Remus began.

"What? Raid her panty drawer?" Sirius said hopefully.

"No," Remus said, shaking his head in exasperation, as James cuffed Sirius on the back of the head, "talk to her."

"Do you honestly think that would work?" Electra asked Sirius, trying to hide her smirk.

"No," Sirius said, slightly let down, "But I've always wanted to try it!"

"Anyway," Remus called back the group's focus, "I think we should call a group meeting to talk to Spencer."

"Alright, but how will we get Spencer to show up?" Sirius asked. "She's harder to find than Pete these days," he finished as the group searched their rankings, noticing their stout friend was also nowhere to be found.

"Cake?" Remus suggested, shrugging his shoulders noncommittally.

"Brilliant," Sirius breathed. "I knew there was a reason we kept you around," he proclaimed, slapping Remus on the shoulder.

"She's never turned down cake," Electra mused, "ever."

"Well, I guess that's settled then," James affirmed. "Kitchen raid on Saturday night?" he proposed.

"Done," Sirius exclaimed. "I don't suppose you want to invite Lily to come along?" he asked hesitantly, knowing full well that the subject of James' almost-girlfriend was rather touchy.

"Is there a point?" James asked wearily, running his hand through his hair and stopping frustrated in mid-motion. He missed having Lily there to yell at him for it. In fact, he just missed having Lily around at all.

- - -

At eleven o'clock that Saturday night, Spencer suddenly found herself surrounded by her friends. "Hey, Spen Ben," Sirius greeted as he swung himself over the back of the sofa to land with a bounce on the cushions next to her. "We were thinking of raiding the kitchens, want to come?" he asked, staring expectantly at her.

"I have a craving for some nice, rich chocolate cake," Electra threw out, glancing at Spencer for her reaction. True to form, Spencer's eyes lit up at the suggestion. She closed the worn out cover of the book she had been reading and looked around at the hopeful expressions of her friends. She really had missed them, she realized, as she had been preoccupied with…other things, she hadn't seen much of them lately.

"Lily isn't coming?" she asked quietly, painfully noting the absence of her petite friend from the group. Spencer's large blue eyes fell on James, and softened in sympathy as he shook his head tersely.

_It must be so hard on him_, she noted, having just gotten so close to the girl he'd loved for so long only to have her pull away so quickly. And while Spencer knew that her friend was going through an incredibly painful time, she could not help but think Lily was being foolish, so easily tossing aside someone who cared so much about her.

_Cake couldn't hurt_, she decided. "I'd love to," she smiled. "What time is it?"

"Just after eleven," Remus responded, glancing at the slightly battered gold watch he kept in his pocket.

"Oh," Spencer breathed, her eyes shooting open in surprise. She was late. "I just realized that I have a test on Monday that I haven't studied at all for, I should really go to the library. Sorry," she called over her shoulder as she exited the portrait hole.

"Did Spencer just turn down cake?" Sirius asked, dumbfounded, his arm still curved in midair where Spencer's shoulders had rested just a moment before.

"Yes, she did," Remus confirmed. "I think we can now safely assume that something is truly bothering her, as she was so distracted by the time that she failed to realize that the library is currently closed."

"What could she be doing?" Electra asked, exasperated, slumping in the seat next to Sirius, who took advantage of her distraction to curl his arm around her instead.

"Obviously something that's planned, since the time was so important to her," James said, pacing back and forth in front of the fire. "She definitely doesn't want us to know, whatever it is."

"Are you suggesting that she's doing something illegal?" Remus asked skeptically, raising an eyebrow.

"Not illegal exactly," James corrected hastily as he saw Sirius bristle out of the corner of his eye as his friend's honor was called into question.

"Whatever it is, I think she's embarrassed about it," Electra declared, tossing her hair over her shoulder. She sighed, sagging into Sirius. "I just wish Lily wasn't in a funk right now. She's always been able to get us to tell her things that were bothering us. I give up," she concluded, burying her head in the crook of Sirius' neck.

It was a mark of Sirius' deep concern for Spencer's well being that he made his next suggestion despite the fact that the girl he fancied the pants off of was snuggled into his side. "Then let's go get her. James was right, it's about time she rejoined the land of the living."

"What are you planning on doing?" Remus asked, already seeing how many ways the scenario of Sirius attempting to break into the girls' dormitories could go wrong.

"Absolutely nothing because here she comes right now," Sirius said, gesturing to where Lily had just emerged from the girls' staircase, her long hair pulled into an unkempt braid, a too-large ratty old sweat shirt bagging around her thin frame.

"Hey, Tiger Lily," Sirius called to her across the almost empty common room, Lily's head jerked up allowing her gaze to find her friends situated comfortably around the group's favorite set of sofa's.

"Can we talk for a second?" he asked. To his and everyone else's surprise Lily grudgingly made her way over to them, plopping herself down into own of the squashy red arm chairs.

"What did you want to talk about?" she asked, her voice still quite raspy from its lack of use since her parents funeral. Everyone jumped a bit at her voice, not used to hearing it again.

"Lily," Sirius began, "We're worried about Spencer."

"Oh," Lily responded lamely as she began to fiddle with the ragged sleeves of her sweat shirt.

"You see," Electra supplied, "She's never really around anymore, she's always off studying for some non-existent test, or rewriting a paper that we handed in the day before, or giving us some other bullshit excuse as to why she has to leave. And when she is around us she's so distracted that she's barely here at all…"

"And we're becoming concerned about her," Remus finished.

Lily lifted her head from her lap, searching all of her forgotten friend's faces, and really seeing them for the first time in two months, she noted that for only being eighteen years old the worry lines that creased their brows and the large bags under their eyes seemed to make them look far beyond their years. The thought that anxiety over her was probably the cause for this change in appearance flooded her mind, bringing tears to her eyes. She kept looking back and forth between Sirius and his usually well kept hair, to Electra and her know weary worn eyes, and Remus and his drastically pale complexion, her eyes refusing to stray to the one among their party that they wished the most to go to. She couldn't bear to look at James to see his usually exuberant expression marred by a visage of distress.

"Lily, look at me," James demanded from his spot on the floor in front of Remus. Lily, whose gaze had returned to her lap, would not turn her face upward to take in his appearance.

"Lily, please," his voice cracked, "Just look at me, please." Lily shook her head no.

"Lily," James choked out, as he began to break down, "please…" She shook her head violently no.

"Please," James began to beg, but before he could continue Sirius sharp bark cut him off.

"James, stop it." For some reason at the tone of James' voice Sirius' stomach began to churn sickeningly. He loved Lily like a sister, but because she was refusing to stop grieving for those she had lost, she was beginning to destroy those around her and Sirius had decided with no prelude to stop this process.

"Lily, look at him!" Sirius commanded her fiercely. She stopped shaking her head back and forth, but she did not glance upward.

"Come on, Lily," he repeated, even more fiercely. He had decided it was now time for some tough love. Lily hands were now uncontrollably twitching her lap as her emotions were beginning to come to a boiling point.

"Fine," Sirius bristled, " Let them win. Let Voldemort and his minions ruin your life just like they wanted to."

Without any warning Lily's head snapped up, her eyes blazing, "They killed my parents!" she screamed.

"But they didn't kill you!" Sirius hollered back just as loudly, "But most wouldn't be able to tell by the way you've been acting lately. All you do is let your sadness and anger run your life. You've let the only people left for you slip away!"

"How dare you!" she screeched, unnoticed tears starting to stream down her face, as she stood.

"How dare I?" Sirius exclaimed, as he stood up as well. "Are you fucking kidding me? It's been two months, Lily. Two damn months. And I know you're never going to get over it, blah, blah, blah, but too damn bad. You have been putting forth no effort at all to even begin moving on, and look at what you've missed. Merlin, you missed your own 18th birthday because you've been too fucking sad…"

"Don't even begin to pretend you know what I'm going through," Lily roared.

"What? Not having parents? Because I wouldn't know what that's like," Sirius remarked scathingly, "At least your's loved you. Mine don't give a rat's ass about me, and they're alive!"

Silence fell upon the pair as Remus, Electra, and James stared at the two in shock.

"I'm.. sorry, Sirius," Lily stuttered out, having the grace to blush in embarrassment.

"Don't apologize to me," Sirius muttered, "Apologize to them," he pointed to his friends situated around him, "and Spencer. She needs you right now, Lily."

"I… can't, I'm not…" Lily struggled for the words.

"What you're not strong enough? Bullshit," Sirius sneered, "You're the strongest person I know, but if you're too selfish to go and help a friend in need…"

"I am not selfish," Lily screeched defensively, striding over to Sirius and jabbing a tiny finger into his chest.

"Then go find her and talk to her!" Sirius hollered into her face, not backing down.

"Fine," Lily screamed, before shoving him out of her way and walking purposefully out of the common room. Sirius' face cracked into a large crooked smile, "And she's back!"

His three friends around him stared in disbelief at him before smiles dawned on their faces as well.

"Thanks, mate," James said from his spot on the floor.

"No problem, Prongs, all she needed was a little tough love," Sirius remarked before taking his previous seat next to Electra. Electra smiled at him and looked at James and then Sirius again before laughing slightly.

"What?" Sirius asked her curiously.

"Am I sensing a man hug moment?" She inquired looking back and forth between James and Sirius, "Because I do believe I am sensing a man hug moment."

"I think you are, too," Sirius commented, before looking at James playfully, "Oh, yeah, he wants to man hug me."

"Hell, _I_ want to man hug you for that!" Electra exclaimed.

"Sorry, James, but she is prettier than you, mate," Sirius muttered before pulling Electra into his lap and wrapping his arms protectively around her. James laughed out loud at Electra's expression as Sirius began to tickle her mercilessly and couldn't remember for the life of him if he had ever laughed like this before.

- - -

"Reg, are you in here?" Spencer whispered into the dimly lit room. She closed the door quickly behind her.

"You're late," a familiar voice responded causing Spencer to jump. She breathed a sigh of relief as her newly adjusted eyes made out a silhouette framed against the crackling fire set in the large stone fireplace on the wall opposite. "You're rather jumpy," Regalus remarked as she made her way over to him. "Were you expecting someone else?"

"No," Spencer returned quickly. "I just haven't gotten the hang of this room yet. I keep worrying that it won't work."

"What kept you?" he asked, holding out a hand. Spencer slid hers into it and allowed herself to be pulled into his chest.

"My friends wanted me to go down to the kitchens with them," she replied, her arms wrapping around his waist. "I think they know something's going on."

"That's because you're absolutely terrible at sneaking around," Regalus chuckled softly.

"Well, we all can't be as good at it as you are," Spencer retorted defiantly, her indignant expression softening as soon as she saw the hurt flash across his usually guarded expression. "I'm so sorry," she cried.

"It's alright," he replied quietly, tilting her chin upwards so that her apologetic eyes met his. "You can make it up to me."

"Gladly," she smiled, her hand curling into the fabric at his collar and tugging him down in order to mesh their mouths together. Regalus made an appreciative sound from the back of his throat, his hands tugging Spencer flush against him.

"I've missed you," he admitted roughly, his teeth pulling gently at her earlobe.

"You have no idea," she returned breathlessly, her hands sliding down to fumble with the first button of his shirt.

"I think I do," he returned with a smirk as she inhaled sharply when his hands met the skin at the small of her back.

"Discuss this later," Spencer managed to get out before his mouth was over hers once more. He took a step backwards and she followed instinctively until they fell together onto the soft comforter of the large bed in the center of the room.

- - -

"Where the hell could she have gone?" Lily thought angrily, running a hand through her hair. The action only annoyed her further as she realized she was beginning to pick up James' most annoying habit. She had searched the castle at all of Spencer's usual haunts, Lily's frustration mounting at her inability to find her friend multiplied by her immense irritation at Sirius for saying what he had.

Lily found herself standing in the seventh floor corridor, wracking her brains for anyplace Spencer might be.

She blinked, startled to see a wooden door across from her. Lily could have sworn from her experience patrolling this corridor that there had always been an incredibly tacky tapestry depicting trolls wearing frilly tutus. Had the tapestry always concealed this door? She wondered. Unless…this was it, the Room of Requirement. The legendary room which seemed to vanish and reappear at odd times. She'd heard numerous accounts from students in her time as a prefect and had eventually gone to look it up. She had never managed to find it, though. Is this where Spencer had been going? Or, more importantly, where she was?

Cautiously, Lily turned the knob which refused to give way. She pulled out her wand, and quickly performed the charm to unlock the door, not really thinking about what might be happening behind it. She stepped into the room, her eyes straining in the dark. There was a rustling sound coming from the center of the room followed by a soft moan.

"Spencer?" Lily exclaimed, worried that her friend was in pain. "_Lumos_!"

"Merlin Fucking Grindlewald," Lily yelped in surprise as her eyes took in the sight of her friend scrambling to cover herself with what looked horrifyingly like black satin sheets. Lily's eyes widened impossibly as they fell on the grim face of Regalus Black, one arm clutched protectively around Spencer, the other thrown up to shade his eyes from the light.

"I'm…going…to um…go, now," Lily stammered, turning on her heel and sprinting out of the room, slamming the door behind her.

When she was what she felt was a safe distance away, Lily let herself sag against the wall. Where had she been the last two months? How had she not noticed that her best friend was not only sleeping with someone but the least likely someone that Lily could ever have imagined? What was she going to do? More importantly what was she going to tell Sirius?

At least she was grateful that she had been the one to find them. For Lily didn't want to contemplate what Sirius would have done had he seen Spencer curled into his brother's side, the dark mark on Regalus' arm shining tauntingly at him in the thin beam of wand light.

- - -

Lily stumbled into the portrait hole, still trying desperately to rid herself of the mental image. She threw herself onto the sofa, covering her eyes with her arm as if that would somehow help. She peeked out at the sound of her name. She was surprised to see James, sprawled out on the rug in front of the fire building a card tower out of an exploding snap deck.

"Are you okay?" James asked hesitantly, his hazel eyes concerned behind his glasses.

Lily shook her head. James scrambled up, knocking over the cards and causing a small explosion which he avoided neatly. He knelt next to the couch. "What happened?"

"Sirius," Lily gasped out, grotesque scenes of Sirius ruthlessly dismembering his only brother running wild through her imagination.

"Don't think too badly of him," James said quickly. "He just…cares about you." James ducked his gaze, suddenly embarrassed to hold Lily's after so long.

Lily shook her head. "No, he was right," she said quietly. "I've been so wrapped up in my problems that I haven't been there for anyone else." Lily cringed as the vivid picture of Spencer and Regalus surfaced readily in her mind.

"It was understandable," James reassured her. "Nobody blames you."

"I'm sorry," Lily whispered, her hand seeking his, "you have no idea how sorry I am."

"It's okay," James said, twining their fingers together, a wide smile of relief breaking on his face. Lily could not help but give a small smile of her own in return as he suddenly looked like her James again.

Lily slid off of the sofa and burrowed into James' side with a heavy sigh. "I've missed you," James said roughly, pulling her even closer.

"You have no idea," Lily responded, her hand curling into the fabric of his t-shirt.

"I think I do," James replied as he kissed the top of Lily's head, the tension he hadn't realized he'd felt for the last two months easing out of his suddenly tired body. Having her next to him again was like releasing a breath he'd held for too long. This was natural and perfectly….right.

"So," he said after a long silence, "did you ever find Spencer?"

"Don't wreck the moment, James," Lily said wearily. "We can talk about that later."

* * *

A/N: Review or Lily and James will never get anywhere near as close as Spencer and Regalus did. Ever. We mean it. Harry will just suddenly pop out of nowhere, if you catch our drift_._


	16. You're Gonna Need Someone On Your Side

**A/N: **So... we apologize. It was quicker than the last and chapter 17 is insanely close to being finished, so that should be up soon. Without further ado...

* * *

**Chapter 16:**

**You're Gonna Need Someone On Your Side**

Her footsteps reverberated off the cold, stone walls, the dull echoes that resonated seemed to scream at her like a wild banshee. She could barely process all that had happened in the past hour, let alone decide how to feel about it. Her body hummed with the frantic energy her mind seemed to be producing from it's frenzied pace. She couldn't wrap her mind around her own actions, let alone anyone else's for that matter, and her anxiety was beginning to become overwhelming_._

_What the hell had happened? _The past hour or so flashed in her mind, bits and pieces coming back to her.

The apprehension which had begun building somewhere in the region of her stomach was now beginning to boil over, as nervous tears made their way down her face. She wiped them away hastily as she padded softly down the large marble staircase, her worried frustration getting the better of her as she crossed the Entrance Hall without even trying to be inconspicuous.

Her strides were purposeful as she made her way past the entrance to the Dungeons and swiftly turned down a short hallway which led down a steep set of stairs.

_Why is this hallway always so damn bright? _she cursed the merrily burning torches set along the underground corridor as she continued one of her most trodden paths through the old school.

_Why did I yell at him like that?_ She couldn't remember why she had blamed him for something that wasn't even his fault. She couldn't remember screaming at anyone so loudly in her life, let alone just walking out on them afterwards without so much as a backwards glance. She finally made it to the painting of the large fruit bowl and reached her small hand up to tickle the pear in the center of the painting.

She turned the doorknob that appeared miraculously out of nowhere and without a second thought, barreled her way through the portrait hole.

"SPENCER!"

She shrieked at the sound of her name and jumped backwards in surprise as she searched wildly around the high-ceilinged room for the source of the noise.

"Spen Ben!" Sirius barked out in delight, leaping off the stool which he was perched upon and bounding over to her, engulfing her in a bear hug.

"Siri!" she gasped into his shoulder as he wrapped his arms tightly around her.

"Spence, I'm so glad you came!" Sirius cried out joyously, as he continued to grasp his friend in an unnaturally tight embrace.

"Siri," Spencer panted as Sirius continued to press the oxygen out of her lungs, "Too… tight…"

"Oh, sorry," he said, blushing slightly as he pulled away, revealing a smiling Electra and Remus who were still sitting in their seats.

"Hey, Spencer," Remus called softly, as he smiled, obviously pleased that she had come.

"Hey, Spence," Electra reiterated, beaming at her best friend across the room, as Spencer and Sirius walked over to the counter top Electra and Remus were sitting at.

"Hi," Spencer replied meekly, as she mentally kicked herself for forgetting that her friends had previously planned to raid the kitchens tonight.

"How are you?" Remus asked as Sirius plopped himself back down on the stool right beside Remus which he had occupied earlier.

"I'm… I'm… fine," she stuttered as she took a seat next to Electra and began to wring her hands.

"You sure bout that, Spen?" Sirius asked as he stuffed his mouth with pudding.

"Uh huh," Spencer choked out, trying to regain her composure and failing miserably, "Why, uh, why do you ask?"

"Because you look like you just walked in on Sirius starkers," Electra pointed out between mouthfuls of layered chocolate cake.

Spencer's eyes widened. She stared at Electra in bewilderment, as a scene of walking in on Sirius naked bombarded her imagination. Then, suddenly, all four teens, glancing at one another in silent wonder, burst out in fits of wild laughter. They were scattered at first; a snort from Remus, a small giggle from Electra, a short bark of laughter from Sirius, then Spencer began to unabashedly laugh as though someone had set a merciless Tickling Hex upon her and all hell broke loose among them. Electra fell off her stool from laughing so hard, which made all four begin to laugh even harder in amusement at the ludicrous nature of the situation.

As the laughter began to die down, Electra pulled herself up off the floor and slid back onto her stool. Spencer closed her eyes, and for the first time in months a sense of calm washed over her.

"That felt good," she sighed, smiling brightly, "I haven't laughed like that in… months."

"It's good to hear you laugh again," Sirius said, smiling broadly at his friend,. He had truly missed her these past two months.

"Merlin, I've missed you," Spencer breathed, as she picked up a fork and dug into the chocolate layer cake, savoring the rich taste.

"We've missed you, too," Sirius replied, scooping more pudding into his mouth.

"I wasn't talking to you," Spencer said through a mouth full of chocolate cake, "I was talking to the cake." She smirked cheekily at him, before taking another bite.

"Oh, so that's how it's going to be," Sirius mumbled, as Remus and Electra laughed mockingly. He dipped his spoon back into his pudding and bringing it to his mouth. "Well, if that's the way you want it…" he trailed off, before turning the spoon around and swiftly flinging a large amount of vanilla pudding at Spencer. It landed with a splat on her face. Electra gasped and Remus inhaled sharply.

"Ahh," Spencer tutted as she smeared the pudding across her face, getting it off, and tossing it down onto the countertop, " I can not believe you did that."

"Spen Ben," Sirius sneered cockily, " Never underestimate the lengths I will go to--"

They never did found out how far he would go as Spencer picked up the piece of cake she had been eating, leaned across the counter, and smashed the cake onto the top of Sirius' head. She dragged her hand down his face, leaving a trail of thick chocolate cake in it's wake. Electra laughed out loud at the outraged expression on Sirius' face. Spencer leaned back in her seat, folding her arms smugly across her chest.

"Oh, Merlin," Remus sighed, burying his head in his hands, knowing the outcome of this action was not only going to be messy, but most likely disastrous.

"That did _not_ just happen," Sirius said loudly, as though by raising his voice that made what he said more factual, "because _if _that had happened we both know what I would do next…"

"And what's that?" Spencer challenged, arching her eyebrows in defiance.

"_This_," Sirius shot back, before grabbing a handful of pudding and throwing it haphazardly across the counter at Spencer, but instead of hitting its intended target, the large handful of dessert landed squarely on Electra's face.

"Black!" Electra shrieked, "I cannot believe…"

Sirius just stared at her in absolute mortification. It was just his luck that when the girl he had fancied for forever was finally coming around to the idea of tolerating him that he would throw food at her best friend, but by some will of Merlin, or whatever powers that be, it would suddenly swerve at the last second and smack her in the face. Spencer clamped her hand over her mouth out of shock or to keep herself from laughing, while Remus began to shake his head back and forth in his hands. Electra fumed, Sirius could almost see the steam rising from her ears.

"Electra, I'm so sor--" Sirius began, but Electra cut clear across his apology, "I don't care. You know, for a chaser you would think you would have better aim, Black."

"But, it wasn't meant for you, it was for Spencer," Sirius defended himself, all the possible ways Electra could kill him in his sleep later that night playing out in his mind's eye, each scenario more gruesome than the one before it.

"I fail to see how that matters," Electra responded as she wiped her eyes off with her hands in an imitation of windshield wipers, as Remus let out what sounded a great deal like a chuckle.

"Did you say something, Remus?" Electra snapped at him, her eyes blazing as she directed her anger at her quiet friend.

"No," Remus choked out as he glanced up from his hands, trying to maintain a straight face, but failing miserably as he took in Electra's appearance, bursting into a new round of laughter, smacking the counter top to help him regain his composure.

"Are you feeling alright over there, Lupin?" Electra asked him, her eyes wide at his odd behavior, obviously he was drunk or on drugs, as this was very out of character behavior for the most reserved boy of their group of friends.

"Oh, I'm fine," Remus gasped for air. "You just look ridiculous."

"Oh, Sweet Merlin," Sirius huffed, running a large hand through his hair getting chocolate cake all over his hand, as Spencer grimaced at Remus' comment.

"I look ridiculous?" Electra asked, the fire in her eyes once again flaring up as she leaned across the counter, grabbing Remus from behind the head, and slamming his face into the cherry pie he had been picking at earlier. "_You_ look ridiculous," she gloated through the coat of now caked on vanilla pudding.

"Delicious," Remus said as he wiped some pie off of his cheek and licked it off his hands. "And how, my dear," Remus' attention was called to Spencer, who was giggling at his now cherried-face, "are you still clean?"

"Allow me to do the honors," Sirius said rapidly as grabbed whatever food happened to be in front of him (he didn't check) with both hands and without hesitation chucked it across the counter at his friend, hitting her square in the face.

Spencer made a noise somewhere between a squeak and a holler. "This is war!" she declared as she flung any food she could get her hands on at her friends who either took cover in the case of Remus, or fought back with equal fervor in the cases of Electra and Sirius.

After five minutes of intense warfare, alliances had been made and battle lines had been drawn. Remus and Sirius huddled together on one side of the counter, while the girls squatted on the other, both teams working out strategies.

"Alright, you go for Spencer, I'm going to take Electra," Sirius whispered, a gleam in his eye as he tossed a rather large chunk of chocolate cake back and forth in his hands.

"We should switch sides," Remus suggested crawling around his friend to get to the side closest to Spencer.

"Alright," Sirius whispered, getting up on his feet still bent over. "On the count of three. One, Two…"

"Eh, hmm," a small voice squeaked from behind Remus' back. Both boys whipped their heads around quickly, ready to fire, but were surprised to find a wiry house elf with an abnormally large head staring at them with wide purple eyes.

"If Masters and Missuses are done making their's mess," Foozie began, "Foozie would likes it very much if she could cleans up now and goes to bed."

"Merlin, Foozie," Sirius began, standing up quickly, the back of his head colliding with the underside of the counter top, "Ah, damn it!"

"Watch it, Black," Electra called from across the counter top as both girls stood up.

"We are so sorry, Foozie," Spencer apologized profusely, "We will help you clean up."

The teens set to work at cleaning up their mess, not realizing how much damage they had truly caused. Vanilla pudding, chocolate cake, cherry pie, treacle tart, crumbs of cookies, and what looked to be chunks of caramel apples (no one could really tell) littered the floor and walls of the giant kitchen.

"Wow, we really wasted a lot of perfectly good cake," Spencer said sadly as she began to wipe down the counter top.

"Ha, always thinking of the cake, aren't we, Spen Ben?" Sirius chided, cocking an eyebrow as he rounded up some cherry pie that had somehow found it's way three counter tops over.

"Masters and Missuses shouldn't help Foozie," Foozie said frantically trying to stop the four from helping as she ran to Remus, grabbing his arm and shaking it with more force than she looked like she possessed, "It is Foozie's job and Foozie will do's it."

"But, Foozie, it's all our fault," Electra reminded the little elf.

"Foozie doesn't mind at all, Miss" Foozie asserted as she busied herself tearing the wash rag out of Remus' hand.

"Are you sure, Foozie?" Sirius asked skeptically.

"Yes, sir, Master Sirius," Foozie nodded her head enthusiastically.

"Well, if you're sure," Sirius said smoothly, stopping cleaning immediately.

"Sirius," Electra bit out scathingly, "Foozie, we would feel awful if we left this for you."

"But Foozie loves cleaning," Foozie assured Electra as she happily continued to wipe down the counter.

"See, Electra, darling, you heard the elf," Sirius continued, strutting over to Electra, "no matter how crazy she may be, she loves it. You wouldn't want to deprive her of that, now would you?

Electra looked over at the thin elf who was now cheerily wiping down the wooden stools, "I… I guess not."

"Excellent," Sirius breathed, placing his hand on the small of her back and ushering her over to the portrait hole followed by Remus and Spencer.

"Are you sure about this, Sirius?" Remus asked hesitantly looking back at the house elf who was now humming contentedly to herself.

"So sure, Mooney, I would bet all the money I won off of Lily and James on it," Sirius assured his friend, though he looked a bit dubious as he pushed Electra out into the brightly lit corridor and pulled James' Invisibility Cloak out of nowhere.

"Ladies," he said charmingly holding up the cloak for the girls to step underneath.

"Where'd you get this, Siri?" Spencer asked in amazement, since she had not come down with them ,she did not know it was James' nor how he had acquired it.

"It's James'," Sirius responded as he and Remus crammed in next to the girls underneath the cloak, "It was his father's before him, and his father's before him, and his father's before him… see where I'm going with this?" he finished as the foursome made their way slowly down the hallway, as not to reveal any part of them on their journey back to the common room.

"Why hasn't it begun to fade?" Spencer asked, she remembered learning about Invisibility Cloaks during Defense class and about how they were supposed to lose some of their powers over time, but this one looked as though it was just bought yesterday.

"I don't know," Sirius responded in a hushed tone, as he looked down at a worn piece of parchment in his hands, "But I suggest we all shut up until we get back to the common room, it seems as though we aren't the only ones out of bed right now."

--

James was pretty sure that this was what heaven was like. He wasn't one hundred percent sure, considering he had never been there before, but if he had to guess, it would be sitting curled up underneath a blanket kissing Lily Evans.

Merlin, he had missed this. Considering he had only kissed her a handful of times, he was shocked how much he had actually missed kissing her; feeling her small hands on his back, having her smooth hair in between his hands.

"Now, is that completely necessary?" Sirius' voice traveled to James' ears but he could barely comprehend it as the only important event happening in the entire universe at that moment was that Lily had just stopped kissing him.

"Yes," James heard Lily respond before kissing him again. Merlin fucking Grindelwald, he loved this woman.

"Down, Tiger Lily," Sirius whistled, appearing out of thin air alongside Remus, Spencer, and Electra, holding James' Invisibility Cloak.

"What in the name of Merlin happened to you?" James asked wildly fixing the positioning of his glasses on the bridge of his nose, "You look like hell!"

"So do you, mate," Sirius responded as he moseyed over to one of the over-sized arm chairs and threw himself into it, pieces of cake and pie splattering on the floor and the chair as he landed with a _squash_.

James figured he was probably a sight after taking in Lily's appearance. Her hair was going in every direction, her cheeks were flushed, lips swollen, and her clothes a bit out of place.

But in her eyes…there was a small glint of joy in them, one James had not seen in two months. James couldn't remember the last time she had looked so beautiful. He figured his hair was even messier than usual and his cheeks, lips, and clothes must match Lily to the T. But he was sure he and Lily were nothing in comparison to his friends.

Sirius had chocolate cake matted in his hair, treacle tart plastered to his face and neck, and a whole assortment of foods James didn't wish to know smeared across his t-shirt and jeans. It looked as though Remus had cherry filling coming out of every orifice on his face, while Electra seemed to be sporting vanilla pudding hair, vanilla pudding face, vanilla pudding t-shirt, and vanilla pudding pants. Spencer, who James had to do a double take on, not only due to her appearance but also because she was _actually_ there, was covered from head to foot in every single texture and color imaginable and James had a hard time trying to distinguish what foods she was coated with.

"It looks like you all had… fun," James said, trying to act casual as Lily rested her head on his shoulder and he wrapped his arm around her.

"You as well," Sirius responded cheekily as Remus and Electra sat down on the couch across from James and Lily, and Spencer plopped down on the floor in front of him.

James smiled goofily before kissing Lily on the top of the head.

"So, are you back with us, Lily?" Electra asked excitedly, what seemed to be tears forming in her eyes.

"Yeah, I'm back," Lily replied as Electra squealed before jumping off the couch and enveloping her friend in a hug.

"Eck," Lily joked, laughing as Electra made her way back over to her spot on the couch next to Remus, "Electra, what did you get on me?"

"Vanilla pudding," James answered for Electra as he licked the spot of dessert off her cheek.

"Well, thank you for that… display," Remus supplied as the other three of his companions stared at the two in silence.

"So are you two… together… finally?" Sirius inquired, "Well… I mean, are you together finally, again?"

James looked down at Lily who smiled broadly back up at him before kissing him quickly again.

"I would take that as a yes," Remus answered for them.

"Yes!" Sirius and Electra exclaimed in unison before high-fiving over Remus' head.

"Did you make bets on us, again?" Lily asked horrified.

"No, no, no," Sirius retorted too quickly, "Of course not, we would _never_…"

"How much are you going to win?" Lily asked flatly.

"Roughly 196 galleons, 58 sickles, and a knut," Sirius said, shocking his friends at being able to remember those numbers with such accuracy.

"A knut?" Lily asked suspiciously. "Remus!"

"I just wanted to study for Potions!" Remus cried out.

"It's alright," Lily laughed lightly, "I'm only kidding."

The group loosened up a bit, as a tension they had not even noticed build up, released itself.

"So, Lily, if you don't mind me asking," Sirius began, trying to change the topic as swiftly and smoothly as possible, "what has brought you back to us?"

"I just realized that I was missing too much," Lily said quietly, looking pointedly at Spencer who had been oddly silent for the past couple minutes. "I have missed _way_ too much."

Spencer blushed a deep red which seemed to go unnoticed by all but Lily as Remus spoke, "I believe I speak for all of us when I say that it is good to have you back."

"It's good to be back," Lily responded, tearing her gaze from Spencer finally and smiling brightly at Remus, though her smile didn't reach her vibrant green eyes.

"Speaking of missing things," Sirius segued, "guess what you two missed?"

"Obviously the food tornado of '78," James mocked, pointing at his friends.

"That," Sirius continued, not letting his friends sarcasm deter him, "_and _guess who else was out of bed wandering the castle in the wee hours of the morning?"

"Who?" James asked, mildly interested.

"Peter," Sirius said quietly. All eyes turned to him. He had not told even those who were with him under the Invisibility Cloak about his discovery of their mostly absent friend.

"Peter?" James asked, his voice a bit higher than usual, "Peter Pettigrew?"

"Yes, Peter Pettigrew," Sirius relayed, "and guess who he was with?" he finished by gritting his teeth.

"I don't know," James mumbled, "the tooth fairy?"

"My _brother_," Sirius spat out.

Electra gasped, while James and Remus looked upon their friend wide-eyed. They had never heard their friend refer to his sibling as his brother in all the years that they had known him. Lily and Spencer visibly tensed and glanced fleetingly at each other before they both looked at Sirius.

"Yeah, I don't know what's going on," Sirius began, his tone rising, "but trust me, I am going to find out."

"What could Pete be doing with your brother?" James wondered out loud.

"I just told you," Sirius bit out in frustration, "I don't fucking know. But, whatever it is, it isn't good. There isn't something right with Regalus. He's a twisted little fuck," Spencer cringed at Sirius' remark, "and whatever he is doing with Pete I can guarantee Regalus is taking advantage of him."

"Maybe that is why Peter has been so distant lately," Remus mused.

"Yeah, maybe he's in trouble," James said quickly, looking frantic.

"Oh, Sweet Merlin, you don't think it's…" Remus trailed off.

"What, Mooney?" Sirius asked fiercely.

"Well, don't take this offensively, Sirius, but…"

"Trust me, if it's about my asshole of a brother, I won't!"

"I was just thinking," Remus continued carefully, "Your brother doesn't have the best track record, Sirius. And it is no secret that most of the older Slytherins are in league with You-Know-Who. What if it has something to do with the Death Eaters? What if Pete's in serious trouble?"

Spencer felt a lead weight drop into her stomach. As the rest of her friends including Lily, whose gaze had been burning holes into Spencer's skull for the past twenty minutes, began frantically speculating about her secret boyfriend's possible connections to the most feared wizard of the decade, Spencer's mind returned to it's previous hyperactive functioning.

"Whatever it is, I'm going to find out," Sirius stated firmly, his jaw set, "I'm going to confront him on this."

"We're going to do it with you," Remus jumped in.

"Yeah," James concurred.

"No, this is something I have to do on my own. He is my brother, not your's," Sirius said coldly, pulling himself out of his chair and heading over to the boy's dormitory stairs. Spencer felt her heart plummet as her last piece of hope fell away.

"Wait, we aren't talking about Peter are we?" James asked wildly as he got to his feet to follow his friend.

"No," Sirius confirmed Spencer's worst fear, "He'll avoid any questions we ask. He may even lie. I feel like I don't even know him anymore. We'd never get a straight answer out of him."

"So what's your plan, Sirius?" Electra interjected. "What are you going to do? Start an all out brawl with Regalus tomorrow over breakfast?"

"No," Sirius replied airily. Spencer breathed a small sigh of relief.

"I am just going to_ speak_ to dearest Regalus calmly tomorrow at breakfast," Sirius finished. Spencer felt bile rise up in her throat at the thought of Sirius coming within five feet of Regalus and trying to 'talk' to him. She looked over at Lily who looked equally as frightened, if not more so.

"Sirius, you can't possibly think--" Remus began but stopped as Sirius had already disappeared up the staircase, "that'll go well," he finished to the room at large.

"Shit, we have got to go talk to him," James looked back at Remus motioning towards the staircase. Remus silently made his way over to the staircase and disappeared much like Sirius. James made to follow, but remembering Lily who was sitting on the floor, turned on his heel and ran back over to her. He bent over quickly and kissed her full on the mouth, whispered, "I missed you," against her lips and rushed after his two friends.

"Can you believe them?" Electra cried out indignantly, standing up putting her hands authoritatively on her hips as Lily smiled at James' retreating back. A preoccupied Lily and Spencer shook their heads no. "Men," Electra muttered as she made her way over to the stairs that led up to the girls dormitory. She mumbled something about a shower, which neither of the two still remaining really heard and left the room without saying goodnight.

Spencer and Lily sat in silence for a few moments before Spencer finally mustered up the courage to look at Lily and asked quietly, "I'm fucked, aren't I?"

"From what I saw earlier, I'd have to say yes," Lily responded contemptuously. Spencer frowned deeply.

"Alright, I guess I deserved that…" Spencer began as tears welled up in her eyes

"You guess?" Lily shrieked, "You-are-sleeping-with-Regalus-Black!" she hissed. "And _you guess _you deserved that?"

"Lily, please…"

"Don't 'Lily, please' me," Lily sneered, "You are sleeping with one of our best friend's brothers, whom he hates, and you didn't have the decency to tell me!"

"I'm sorry," Spencer whimpered, as she began to cry in earnest.

"Spencer, why?" Lily asked as her angry façade crumbled at her friends tears, "Why him of all people? He's a Death Eater! A Death Eater! They killed my parents, Spencer!"

"He's… he's not like that," Spencer stumbled over her words continuing to snivel.

"Are you serious?" Lily asked, her crumbling anger building back up, "He's a Slytherin and a Death Eater and the best you have is 'He's not like that'. Honestly, Spencer…" Lily began to shake her head.

"But, he isn't," Spencer defended herself. She knew Lily wasn't pleased about this, but did she have to be so cruel? "He only pretends to be like that because that's what his parents want him to be. He's really sweet and quiet. He loves classical music and he sings horribly. He's incredibly smart and a good flyer. He's a great listener and he makes me laugh. He even admitted that he admires Sirius quite a bit for going against their parents and their beliefs! He is a good person, he is just in over his head."

Spencer had no idea where that outburst had come from. Lily just stared blankly at her. That was… unexpected, to say the least.

"I'm sorry, Spencer," Lily apologized quietly. "I shouldn't have been so mean."

"It's okay," Spencer accepted her apology. "You're just upset, and you have every right to be… it's just…" But, before Spencer could finish she broke down into a new set of sobs.

"Oh, Spence," Lily soothed her friend as she scrambled across the floor to calm her friend down.

"Everything is going to be fine," she placated her friend.

After a few moments Spencer's tears subsided and she looked up at Lily, "Lils, I think I love him."

"I know that feeling," Lily allowed a smile small to cross her face as an image of James flashed in her mind's eye.

"Damn it," Spencer began to cry again, "Lily, what am I going to do?"

"Shh," Lily continued to calm her friend.

"Lily, Sirius is going to _kill Regalus,"_ Spencer cried into Lily's shirt.

"Well, look at the bright side. At least you'll never have to tell Sirius you've been sleeping with the brother he detests," Lily pointed out, trying to get a laugh out of Spencer, but failing as Spencer tensed under her arm.

"No!" Spencer cried, "I'm not going to have to tell him because he's going to find out tomorrow when he's yelling at Regalus. Regalus will just blurt it out to piss him off even more!"

"Why would he jeopardize your relationship with Sirius like that?" Lily asked horrified.

"He… he…" Spencer began, but Lily never found out what she had been about to say, as Spencer's body began to rack with sobs once more.

"Everything is going to be fine, Spencer." Lily whispered, rubbing her friends back in calming circles. "Everything is going to be just fine." Lily coulnot help but cringe at the lie. Both girls knew everything was going to be far from fine starting at breakfast the following morning.

**A/N: **Review. Review. Review. Why you may ask yourselves? Because you love us, that's why.


	17. Good News for People Who Like Bad News

**A/N:** We're Back!!! First of all, apologies for our five month hiatus. It was all building up to this, believe us. Okay, actually, we went to college and were seperated by 6 hours, 500 miles, and we cannot walk 500 miles like that song from the 90's suggests. Trust us, we tried. It's not as easy as it sounds. So, we're back home, back together, still grammatically challenged, but it's all good, because we are finally updating! So, without further ado...

* * *

**Chapter 17  
Good News For People Who Like Bad News**

Lily looked at her clock for what felt like the millionth time that night.

3:27 A.M.

_Merlin, can time go by any slower? _She flipped over onto her side and shut her eyes as tightly as possible, hoping to block out all thought as well as the light that drifted through the slit in the curtains of her four-poster. She couldn't believe that five hours from now she was going to witness someone get killed. Because, no matter what Lily told Spencer, she knew Sirius was going to murder Regulus.

She had half a mind to go tell Sirius about Spencer's affair with his brother, just so he would not have the chance to act on his instincts. She turned onto her stomach as the array of images of Sirius maiming, killing, and otherwise torturing his sibling, that had bombarded her mind earlier that night came flying back to her. She was surprised with how graphic they were. _I've gotta stop this, somehow…_

She buried her head into a pillow, in an attempt to force sleep upon herself. But it was to no avail as she continued to lie ,wide awake, and intensely worried. She huffed loudly and turned completely over onto her back, her bed creaking under her.

"Lily?" Spencer's voice traveled through the curtains of Lily's four-poster.

"Yeah, Spence?" Lily asked quietly, trying not to wake Electra.

"Why are you still awake?" Spencer asked, her voice hollow.

"Thinking," Lily murmured, sitting up and pulling open the drapes to reveal Spencer curled up in the fetal position on her bed, staring straight ahead, her eyes blood-shot, as she asked, "What are you thinking about?"

"My parents," Lily lied quickly. She couldn't bring herself to tell Spencer the truth, especially in her heightened state of stress.

"You miss them a lot, don't you?" Spencer asked, her eyes glazing over slightly.

"Yeah, I do," Lily responded, "But, I'm used to missing them. I've missed them for years while I've been here."

"I guess that makes sense," Spencer drawled lazily as she continued to stare off into space.

"It's still hard though," Lily continued, crossing her legs unconsciously underneath her.

"I can't imagine," Spencer said breathily.

"I just wish I could've…"Lily trailed off as her emotions started to get the better of her. This was the first time Lily had begun to open up since the death of her parents. "I wish I could've said good-bye."

At these words something seemed to capture Spencer's attention, her focus coming back to her. She turned her head to look at Lily, her voice filled with a sudden thickness. "What am I going to do, Lily?"

"I don't know, Spencer, but we'll figure it out," Lily responded, trying not to sound as hopeless as she felt the situation was.

"No matter what happens I lose one of them," Spencer continued. Lily wondered if Spencer had even heard what she had said. "Once Sirius finds out, he'll blow his top and stop talking to me…"

"You don't know that, necessarily," Lily cut across her friends ramblings. "He could be very calm about this." Lily knew for certain that Sirius was going to be about as calm as a rampaging hippogriff.

"And Regulus will just make things worse," Spencer mused as the scene of Sirius finding out about her relationship with his brother played out in her mind. A vivid vision of a taunting Regulus, a very pissed off Sirius, and herself crying miserably took center stage in her mind's eye.

"Spencer, you can't think like that," Lily lightly scolded her friend. She got off her bed and treaded lightly over to Spencer. She took extra care to not make noise. "You have to be positive."

"Yes, yes," Spencer nodded her head, her eyes glistening slightly, "Positivity is what's going to save this situation! I should just tell Sirius in an upbeat tone that I've been secretly dating his brother behind his back!" Spencer was becoming hysterical as Lily sat down next to her.

"That's not what I meant," Lily whispered, trying to hush Spencer who's voice was getting too loud. Miraculously, Electra seemed to continue to sleep peacefully in her bed. "I mean, you have to keep your head. You can't go over the deep end. If you go mental you won't be able to save the situation."

"Lily, this situation is unfixable," Spencer murmured darkly, coming into a sitting position, trying to hold back the tears which threatened to fall.

"No! No, it's not!" Lily shook her head violently. "I honestly think everything will be okay as long as Sirius doesn't find out you slept with him. As long as we--" but she was cut off.

"WHAT?!" Electra hollered as she tore the curtains around her bed apart wildly and scrambled out of her bed, her eyes wide in astonishment.

"SHHHHHHH!" Lily rushed over to Electra, slapping a hand over her friend's mouth. Spencer muttered, "Fuck," under her breath before flopping onto her back, her tears flowing freely. Electra fought off Lily.

"What the fuck do you mean by 'as long as Sirius doesn't find out you slept with him'?" Electra asked unabashedly, swatting Lily's small hands away from her face as she gawked at Spencer.

"Nothing, nothing," Lily trying, and failing miserably, to cover up her conversation with Spencer. "This is actually all a dream you're having."

"Yeah, uh huh, sure, Lily," Electra mocked as she glared down at her. "Like I could come up with something as twisted as Spencer sleeping with Regulus Black."

"No, no," Lily continued, flailing her limbs around wildly in poor imitation of a prima ballerina, "this is all a figment of your imagination." Electra placed her arms across her chest, cocking her head to the side, and looked at Lily as though she had grown a second head.

"It's okay, Lily, she deserves to know," Spencer sighed heavily, pulling herself back into a sitting position.

"Damn right I deserve to know," Electra scoffed as Lily stopped her ridiculous behavior.

"So how long have you two been hiding this from me?" Electra asked accusingly, "How _could _you hide this from me? I'm your best friend! Both of you! Or at least I thought I was. And you've been hiding this from me for how long? Days? Weeks? Months!"

"Lily found out about it less than five hours ago," Spencer defended her friend quickly, "So don't be mad at her."

"Oh," Electra softened a bit, but then remembered Spencer's betrayal and stiffened once more. "And you? How long have you been hiding this from us?"

"We started talking in October…" Spencer began.

"OCTOBER!" both girls exclaimed.

"Wait, you didn't know how long they'd been together?" Electra asked Lily, her tone disbelieving.

"No," Lily gasped, dumbfounded. "I walked in on them tonight…"

"Oh, Merlin, the mental images," Electra cringed visibly as she covered her eyes with her hands.

"And I thought they'd gotten together after New Year's," Lily finished, staring at Spencer whose eyes were fixed on her lap.

"This is too much," Electra muttered as she swayed on the spot a bit, and grasped her bed post for support.

"I'm sorry," Spencer whispered shakily. "I was going to tell you. Honest, I was. Before we left for Christmas, but then… then…"

"It didn't seem like an appropriate Christmas present?" Electra asked sarcastically.

"Not exactly," Spencer answered, meeting her friend's eyes for the first time since she had abruptly joined in the conversation and gave her a small smile.

"Bloody Hell, Spence," Electra smiled back. She walked over to Spencer's bed and plopped down next to her. "What am I going to do with you?" All three of the girls laughed at this as Lily came to sit on Spencer's other side.

"The better question is, how are we going to handle this… situation," Lily pointed out as the girls looked at each other as if hoping to find the answer to their predicament written on each others' faces.

"I mean, I could always go give Sirius a midnight visit," Electra proposed arching an eyebrow. "Get him in a good mood. If you know what I mean."

"Ewww, Electra," both Lily and Spencer groaned.

"Says you, the girl who is sleeping with his younger brother," Electra said pointedly looking at Spencer, "and you," she switched gears to Lily, "who is officially dating James Bloody Potter."

"I thought you wanted me to date him!" Lily exclaimed. "I thought that's what you all wanted."

"It is! I just didn't expect to see you practically molesting him in the Common Room, that's all," Electra shrugged her shoulders, a mischievous smile playing across her lips.

"I was not practically molesting him," Lily informed Electra. "He was more than willing."

Electra and Spencer stared at Lily in astonishment at her bravado before all three burst out in another fit of giggles.

"What has gotten into us tonight?" Lily asked as she gasped for air. "We haven't laughed like this since we were fourth years."

"It's really all you can do in a situation like this," Electra responded.

"And what exactly is our situation? Because I'm still trying to figure it out," Lily asked, raking a hand through her frazzled red hair. "I'm still fuzzy on the details considering I've been out of it for two months."

"Well, our best friend is sleeping with one of our other best friend's younger brother whom he happens to detest, and this other best friend plans to confront said detested brother tomorrow morning at breakfast because he saw one of our other friends, who has been quite unavailable for the past couple months, with his brother during the late hours of the evening on a map," Electra rapidly replied, sucking in a large mouthful of air when she was done.

"I'm glad one of us knows what's going on," Spencer said, shaking her head wearily.

"So, what are we going to do about this?" Electra asked the other two.

"Wait, you're not mad at me?" Spencer questioned, her head snapping up to look at her friend.

"Oh, no. I'm mad as hell," Electra corrected her friend. "But you need me right now, and Sirius is going to be pissed enough for the both of us. I figured I could cut you some slack."

Spencer, not knowing how to respond, began to twiddle her thumbs in her lap.

"Thank you for that. That was really helpful, Electra," Lily said sardonically from Spencer's other side. "I mean, she wasn't already a nervous wreck as it is. It helped that you added that to the pile."

"Come on, it's not like she actually thought Regulus has a shot at surviving past nine a.m. tomorrow," Electra defended herself.

"Merlin fucking Grindelwald," Lily moaned into her hands, frustrated at Electra's ineptitude at dealing with Spencer's current emotional state.

"I'm just going to tell him tomorrow morning before he has a chance to even think about talking to Regulus," Spencer finally spoke up. "I can't avoid it anymore. I've put it off long enough."

"We'll go with you," Lily offered, wrapping her arm around her friend's shoulder.

"Yeah, we'll be there," Electra reiterated, interlacing her arm with Spencer's. She allowed Spencer to set her head on her shoulder.

"We'll head him off before he even leaves the Common Room tomorrow morning," Lily continued to comfort her friend.

"I'm sure everything will be fine," Electra nodded, a reassuring smile plastered across her face. Though she was sure the entirety of the Gryffindor house, if not the castle, would find themselves woken up by a screaming Sirius Black.

---

"WHAT?" the shriek echoed throughout the nearly deserted Common Room. "Calm down, Spence," James said groggily, his ears ringing from her scream.

James and Remus had entered the Common room two minutes ago to find a very jittery Spencer sandwiched in between Lily and Electra on the sofa. Upon seeing James and Remus the girls had immediately asked where Sirius was, and they didn't seem to like James' answer. Spencer looked absolutely devastated while Electra looked as though she was going to throw up, and Lily seemed extremely crestfallen.

"What do you mean he's already at breakfast?" Spencer asked frantically. "It's 6:30 in the morning. We've been sitting here since 6:00 a.m. waiting for him."

"Why?" James asked, letting a large yawn escape his mouth.

"Lily!" Spencer began to shake violently as her anxiety bubbled over once more. She clutched both of her friends for support, "He's going to kill Regulus!"

"Spencer, do you want me to go get you some cake?" Remus offered as her heightened worry seemed to fill the room, suffocating all of them.

"Spence, what's wrong?" James asked casually. He didn't understand why Spencer was so worried about Sirius, anyway. Admittedly, James was a bit skeptical about the entire situation and knew his friend was going to take it overboard, but Spencer seemed beyond the point of hysteria.

At James' question Spencer broke down into sobs. The boys gaped at her.

"Spencer?" Lily asked her friend gently.

"Tell them," Spencer choked out in between sobs. "They're going to find out anyway."

Lily looked from Spencer to the boys before heaving a large sigh. She informed the two of Spencer's relationship with Regulus Black. Remus and James both stared, thunderstruck, at the three girls for a moment. James was half expecting them to burst into laughter as one screamed "April Fool's!" Remus on the other hand just lost what little color he had left in his cheeks.

"Merlin fucking Grindelwald," Remus breathed as he wiped his brow with his hand.

"Apparently, Spencer fucking Regulus," James sputtered.

"James!" Lily snapped furiously at her boyfriend. Spencer's sobs became frenzied.

"Oh, Bloody Hell! Spencer, I am so sorry!" James apologized quickly, walking over to Spencer. Before he knew what he was doing, he had pulled her into a hug. She wrapped her arms around his waist quickly and he drew her to his chest.

James looked over her head at Remus who silently mouthed, "What are you doing?"

"I have no idea," he mouthed back before looking at Lily. She was staring at him with a curious expression.

"It's going to be fine, Spencer," James stuttered, finding his verbal skills once more.

"How?" Spencer blubbered into his chest. James looked frantically from one friend to another, searching for a helpful response. He received none as all of them looked at him with the same horrified expression he knew he was also sporting.

"Here's what we're going to do," James began shakily. "We're going to go down to breakfast right now and you're going to tell Sirius you need to talk to him. You'll take him somewhere and gently break the news to him."

"And we'll all go with you. For support," Lily added.

"We will?" James questioned her. He knew full well he did not want to be within fifty feet of Sirius when he got this news, let alone in the same room. But after receiving a stern glare from Lily he corrected himself, "We will. We will."

Spencer extracted herself from James' embrace, wiped her eye's hastily with the sleeves of her jumper, and began walking towards the portrait hole sniffling. Remus looked at Electra and held up his arms, ushering her forward. She raised her eyebrows, taking a step forward as Remus fell into step with her, following in Spencer's wake. James watched his three friends exit into the corridor. He took a step to follow, only to feel a small hand grab his arm, stopping him immediately.

"Yeah?" he asked, turning around to face Lily. He had miscalculated how close she was. It caused him to collide with her.

"Oh, sorry," he gasped grabbing her arms to regain her balance.

"It's okay," she whispered, smiling up at him. She kissed him softly.

"What was that for?" he asked, quite dazed as she pulled away.

"Nothing," Lily responded cheerfully, tugging on James' arm, dragging him out of the Common Room.

"Now that the lovebirds have joined us…" a smiling Electra scolded James and Lily as their bodies emerged from the portrait hole. Remus faintly smiled at the pair, but Spencer continued to shuffle forward as if she was heading for the gallows.

The quartet followed her silently, each lost in their own thoughts. James, who was walking beside Lily, slowed his pace considerably, and Lily unconsciously slowed her own pace as well. As Remus, Electra, and Spencer rounded a corner, James held his arm out and brought Lily to a complete halt.

"What?" Lily asked, confusion written all over he face.

"I was just, uhm, wondering, if.. if," James tripped over his words.

"Yes, James?" she inquired, puzzled at James' sudden hesitation.

"Well, I was wondering if I could…" James ran his hand nervously through his hair.

"James, how many times do I have to tell you," Lily laughed, standing up on her tip toes and grabbing his hand. She brought it to his side and let go of it. James looked at her once more before summoning all of his courage. He reached out and gripped her hand again, interlacing their hands.

"I was wondering if I could hold your hand?" he asked, his cheeks blushing a violent shade of scarlet.

"Hate to tell you this," Lily started, as James' face fell, "but, you already are." She smiled brightly as relief washed over James' face.

He smiled, regaining his composure as Lily led him after their friends. The couple continued the journey down to the Great Hall, talking about food, weather, Quidditch, and things of no consequence. They completely forgot, for at least a moment, the absolute chaos that was to come.

Despite the fact that it was a Sunday and only 6:15 in the morning, many faces turned to watch them walk in hand-in-hand. The Hall, filled with maybe fifty students, seemed to burst into noise as some students gasped, others cheered, most turning to the person beside them and beginning to talk non-stop about the new developments between James and Lily's relationship.

James led Lily over to where their friends were seated. Sirius was beaming like a Christmas tree and all the others looked supremely put out.

"Here they are," Sirius greeted them, unusually merry for the hour. "How's my new favorite couple?"

"Sirius, did you spike your orange juice with Firewhiskey?" James asked skeptically, sliding into a seat across from Sirius, never letting go of Lily's hand.

"No, no," Sirius shook his head sadly, "I decided after I blew my cauldron up in fifth year that I should never do _that_ again."

"Wait," Electra held her hand up. "You actually got drunk before classes fifth year?"

"Not so much drunk as," Sirius stopped, searching for the word, "tipsy."

"Tipsy?" James questioned. "You could barely remember your own name by the end of the day."

"Okay," Sirius conceded, "maybe I was drunk off my ass. But, I am not today."

"Then why are you so… so… happy," James asked, as though it was an odd occurrence for Sirius to be happy at all.

"Why shouldn't I be happy?" Sirius asked. "You and Lily are finally together, the team is doing great, and my dearest little brother is about to get what has been coming to him for the past sixteen years."

All of Sirius' friends visibly flinched at the mention of Regulus Black.

"Uhm, Siri," Spencer started, "there's something that I…I… I need to tell you."

"What's up, Spence?" Sirius asked, spinning in his seat and turning to Spencer.

"Can we go somewhere private?" Spencer stammered, unable to look Sirius in the eye.

"Well, uhm," Sirius said, looking around at the expressions upon his friend's faces. He noted that all of them looked as though they thought he was going to explode at any time. "It looks like everyone already knows what you need to tell me, so I don't really think we need to go somewhere private."

"No, no, I have no idea what she's talking about," James hurriedly proclaimed. Lily stomped on his foot and threw him a sidelong glance to shut him up. "No idea," he said once more before busying himself with loading his bowl with porridge. He tried to ladle a large helping into his bowl. In his hurry he missed the bowl and hit his lap instead.

"Smooth, Potter," Electra laughed from Sirius' side. She was the only one brave enough to sit on the same side of the table as him.

"Okay, what's wrong?" Sirius asked, dropping all pretenses.

"Nothing's wrong, Sirius. Why would you think that?" James asked, laughing in a high pitched tone as he and Lily tried to clean his lap of the thick substance.

"Prongs, you just lopped porridge into your lap because your aim was off," Sirius responded, putting his arms across his chest. "Need I remind you that you are the best Chaser in the whole bloody school _and_ you don't like porridge."

James' mind worked frantically while he scooped the last remains of food from his legs. He ran his hand through his hair nervously not sure how to respond as his mind was drawing a blank.

"And now you ran your hand through your hair and Lily didn't stop you," Sirius pointed out, his suspicion growing.

"Siri, I really need to talk to you," Spencer squeaked.

"Then talk to me!" Sirius snapped angrily at the girl.

"Sirius," Remus reprimanded his friend sharply. as Spencer cowered into Remus' side.

"What?" Sirius exclaimed, now turning on his other friend. "No one is telling me what's going on and you're all obviously in on it!"

"Sirius, just please go talk with Spencer," Lily said firmly. She refused to make eye contact with Sirius.

"Alright, Spen Ben. What is up?" Sirius asked, turning to Spencer, his voice softening slightly. "Did someone die or something?"

"Not yet," James muttered under his breath, forcing Lily to stomp on his foot to shut him up once more.

"No, not quite," Spencer replied shakily, shutting her eyes tightly. "Sirius, can we please go somewhere else?"

"No, I want to know right now what the hell is going on," Sirius said sternly.

"Sirius, just go with her," Lily said meekly.

"No!" Sirius hollered, slamming his fist on the table, "I want to know what the fuck is going on that all of you seem to know but, that I don't!"

"Sirius, calm down," Electra demanded, giving him a look that told him not to mess with her.

"No," Sirius said, his voice rising as more students filtered into the Great Hall.

"Sirius, you need to calm down," Remus said resolutely.

"Just tell me what is going on!" Sirius cried out.

"We can't tell you here," Lily said.

"Why not?" Sirius asked, searching the Great Hall wildly for an explanation. At that moment a group of Slytherins containing both Severus Snape and Sirius' target for the morning walked haughtily into the Great Hall. They made their way over to their table without even glancing at the other students in the room.

"You know what," Sirius said snidely, "it doesn't matter. Because I'm going to go get answers to another one of my questions right now." And with that he swung his legs over the bench and raced over to the Slytherin table.

"Sirius, don't do this!" Remus called to his retreating back.

"Make me," Sirius called over his shoulder.

"James, we have got to-" Remus began, but as he turned to look at James, his friend was no longer seated but army crawling underneath the table to get to Sirius faster.

"Padfoot!" James groaned. He pulled himself to his feet and sprinted across the Great Hall, the others trailing behind him, but he was too late.

"Morning," Sirius greeted the group of Slytherin boys who had just seated themselves at their table. What little muttering that had been taking place at the sullen looking Slytherin table came to an abrupt stop. All eyes from the entire hall came to rest on Sirius.

Regulus Black gazed up at his older brother with a glazed over expression. It would have looked haughty if he would not have appeared so lethargic. There was no exchange between the two boys as Sirius stared at Regulus darkly and Regulus glared up at Sirius expectantly.

"Can I help you with something?" Regulus finally broke the overbearing silence.

"I was just wondering if you could answer a question for me," Sirius inquired, his tone not giving away his frustration which was about to bubble over. Just as Regulus was opening his mouth to give a retort to his brother James came to a screeching halt at Sirius' side, huffing loudly.

"Hi guys, how's it going?" James greeted the Slytherins cheerily, raising his hand in salutation. James hoped his random act of joviality would divert the attention of all around him from the argument that was about to begin . As Remus, Lily, Electra, and Spencer all rushed to his side, James saw the looks of bewilderment cross the Slytherin's faces. He wasn't sure this was going to go well.

"Are you high, Potter?" a smarmy looking, blonde sixth year a few seats down from Regulus hollered.

"Not quite," James responded cheekily, momentarily forgetting himself.

"Sirius, why don't you take this into the Entrance Hall?" Remus suggested hopefully, while Spencer tried to catch Regulus' eye, but it was to no avail.

"No, no," Regulus brushed off Remus' proposal leaning forward in his seat. "This should be fun."

" Oh, yes," Sirius grinned devilishly, "fun." No, this wasn't going go to well. Not at all.

"Sirius, I really think you should take this to the Entran-" Regulus cut across James.

"So, what is it you wanted to know_ big brother_?" he asked mildly interested, as Spencer continued to try to catch his attention.

"Well," Sirius started, but James clamped his hand over his mouth to stop him from speaking.

"What the fuck are you doing?" Sirius hollered at James as he fought him off. "Stop it, Prongs."

"Sirius, I really don't think this is a good idea," James said hastily, running his hand worriedly through his hair once more.

"That's nice, but if you'll excuse me," Sirius barked.

"Look at them," Snape sneered, finally making his presence known. "Bickering like a married couple."

"Shut up, Snape," Electra snapped at the greasy-haired boy, her eyes blazing.

"Watch yourself, _Stephen_," Snape said slowly. Once he said this many things happened at once: Electra launched herself at him across the table, Sirius wrapped his arms around her waist to stop her, while the teachers finally seemed to notice the scuffle. McGonagall made her way over, just as Spencer finally caught Regulus' attention.

"Woah," Sirius groaned as Electra flew back into his torso, knocking the wind out of him. Spencer tried to silently word to Regulus that Sirius did not know about their relationship, but he did not seem to get it as he continually gazed at her a bit dazed by the situation.

"What is going on here?" McGonagall asked sternly, as she descended down upon the scene.

"Nothing, Professor," Remus said quickly.

"Just exercising some inter-house relationships," James continued, emphasizing his point by patting the Slytherin boy sitting down in front of him on the back a few times. Spencer began making hand motions behind Sirius' back to Regulus to get the message across. He ignored her as he tried to maintain an appearance of nonchalance.

"Do not insult my intelligence, Potter," McGonagall warned James, glaring at him over the top of her glasses. "Now, I am going to ask again. What is going on here?"

"Nothing, Professor," Sirius responded this time, relinquishing Electra from his grasp, his eyes filled with worry. But, then he got an idea and the anxiety in his eyes at being put in detention was replaced with their usual mischievous glint. "I was just wondering why my darling younger brother was sneaking around the castle last night with a certain Gryffindor."

The Great Hall collectively gasped as James slapped a hand against his face and Remus, forgetting his company, let out a very loud, "Fuck."

"Mr. Lupin!" Professor McGonagall gasped.

"I can't believe you told him, you stupid mud blood bitch!" Regulus hollered, jumping to his feet and pointing at Lily accusingly.

"Mr. Black!" McGonagall screamed appalled.

"Hey, watch your fucking mouth," James screamed at Regulus, about to throw himself at the youngest Black as Lily grabbed his wrist to stop him. Sirius stood stock still, unsure of what he just stumbled upon, but sure it was not what he had been expecting.

"Potter!" Professor McGonagall screamed, outraged by her students' behavior.

"What?" James yelled. He had completely forgotten about Spencer and Regulus and needing to protect Regulus from Sirius. He forgot about needing to stop Sirius from finding out. He forgot everything but the need to make Regulus Black bleed. "Did you hear what he called Lily?"

"James, it isn't important," Lily tried to calm him down.

"Yes, I heard him, Mr. Potter," McGonagall said sternly, "which is why he will be attending detention this evening…"

"Thank you," James huffed in gratitude.

"Along with Ms. Jackson, Mr. Lupin, and yourself," McGonagall finished.

"What?" James rounded on his teacher. "What did we do?"

"Ms. Jackson attempted to attack Mr. Snape, while Mr. Lupin and yourself used inappropriate language," McGonagall explained.

"You cannot be serious," Electra stared at her teacher, horrified.

"I assure you Ms. Jackson," McGonagall said as she turned on her heel, "I am."

"But, Professor! It isn't their fault," Lily defended her friends. "Severus and Regulus instigated all of them!"

"Ms. Evans, please count yourself among those who will be attending detention tonight," McGonagall called over her shoulder. Sirius didn't know why, but he felt that this was a detention he could not miss.

"This is getting fucking ridiculous," Sirius muttered under his breath, running an over-sized hand through his hair.

"I heard that Mr. Black," McGonagall shrieked, turning sharply to glare at Sirius. "Anyone else have a critique of my disciplining? Ms. Bensur?"

Spencer just stared at McGonagall wide-eyed.

"Ms. Bensur, you have nothing to say?" McGonagall asked.

"Nah-nah-no," Spencer stuttered out.

"Fine, then," McGonagall spun around and made her way back to her seat at the table in the front of the Great Hall.

"What in the hell just happened?" Electra asked the group at large. Everyone including the Slytherins shrugged their shoulders and looked around at one another slack jawed.

---

"Does anyone want to explain to me what happened today?" Professor McGonagall asked the students assembled before her, glaring over the top of her glasses. The teens stared back at her, half of them apprehensively, the other half furiously.

After the confrontation in the Great Hall James had spent the day in the Common Room with Remus and Lily, while Spencer and Electra had disappeared up into the girl's dormitory. Sirius had stormed up to the boys dormitory to sulk. None of the teens really understood exactly what had happened and were not inclined to try and explain it to their teacher anyway.

"Very well," McGonagall said briskly. "These are files from Mr. Filch's office. You are to arrange them alphabetically by year, for the next two hours." She glared at them as if expecting them to groan in protest.

"I have lesson plans to complete. If any one of you even attempts to leave this room, I will know immediately and the consequences will be much more severe." The Slytherins rolled their eyes as she swept out of the room, eyeing her Gryffindors with disappointment.

There was a moment of tense silence which was broken by Snape, picking up a stack of files as if they were distasteful objects. "Well, lets get on with it," he stated.

The other teens followed his lead. James sat down next to Lily in order to work on a stack with her. He figured he might as well try to find the silver lining in the situation. Electra rolled her eyes at his actions, throwing a pile onto the flagstones in front of her. "Why are you standing there Sirius?" Electra demanded, waving a paper as she sat down next to Remus, "We have a job to do."

"I'm not doing anything until someone tells me exactly what the fuck is going on," Sirius responded, glaring balefully at his younger brother. Regulus was reclined in a desk chair, lazily sorting through a stack of reports, unaware of his brother's gaze.

"I would think that would be obvious to anyone with a minute bit of intelligence," Snape said silkily. "But, forgive me, I forgot who I was speaking with."

"Shove it, Snivellus," James snapped. Snape glared angrily back at him, his eyes trailing over where Lily's legs were thrown over James' lap as she continued to hand him papers with a warning glance. "What? He started it," James muttered indignantly.

"That didn't answer my question," Sirius interrupted loudly. "I want to know from Regulus, exactly what he was referring to this morning."

Regulus sighed, propping his feet up on the desk next to him. "I thought you already knew, big brother, but I guess I was wrong," he drawled. "I'll tell you exactly what is going on. I have been sleeping with your dear friend Spencer since before Christmas. And we were seeing each other for three months prior to that." He paused, allowing the revelation to sink in. "I assumed that was what you were referring to this morning."

He glanced up, a malicious smirk on his face. "I can see from your gaping mouth that I was wrong."

Silence descended upon the room. It was broken moments later when Sirius burst into his signature barking laughter. "I didn't know you had a sense of humor, Regulus," Sirius said. "No one would believe that."

"They do," Regulus commented, gesturing with a free hand toward the other Gryffindors who were staring back and forth between the two as if waiting for a bomb to explode any moment. "Ask them," Regulus taunted him softly, finally looking up to meet his brother's eyes.

Sirius turned to face his friends who all refused to meet his eyes. "Guys, tell me he's not telling the truth," he demanded.

"So…um what comes after Z again?" James said, shuffling some papers in a poor attempt to deflect the tornado that was about to hit.

"You have to be fucking kidding me," Sirius said, his tone colored with shock.

"We only found out this morning," Remus interjected slowly as if trying to calm down an enraged animal. "We hid nothing from you. This is what Spencer tried to tell you this morning."

"This morning!" Sirius exploded. "Why didn't she try telling me this when she started fucking him." He whirled on his brother. "What did you do to her?" Sirius demanded. "She never would have done this of her own free will. Tell me!" he demanded, his voice echoing off of the walls. Regulus merely chuckled darkly. Suddenly, Sirius threw himself onto Regulus, knocking him off of his chair and onto the stone floor.

"Tell me what you did!" he snarled, his hand at his brother's throat.

"I only saw what was in front of me," Regulus said, his hand grasping the one around his neck. "Jealous?"

"I'm going to kill you with my bare hands," Sirius whispered venomously.

"I'd like to see you try," Regulus retorted, throwing his brother off of him with a thud. Sirius made to attack him again but was prevented by Remus and James, who had sprung into action and were holding him back.

"No, Padfoot," Remus said. "It won't solve anything!" he protested as Sirius struggled violently against their hold.

"It'll take this piece of shit off the face of the planet," Sirius growled.

"No, Sirius!" Lily exclaimed, running to stand in front of him. She threw her hands on his chest in an attempt to calm him. "Listen to me," she began, but Sirius cut her off.

"Why should I when you weren't even going to tell me the truth! Let go of me," he demanded. Remus and James made no movement to do so. Sirius took a breath and repeated himself more quietly. "Let go of me, I'm not going to do anything. Yet."

James and Remus released him slowly, surprised when Sirius, as good as his word, stalked over to a corner and began to file paperwork furiously.

"Well, well, well," Snape murmured., seeming to recover from the shock of Regulus' revelation. "Things just get more interesting by the moment."

"Shut up, Snivellus," Lily hissed. Snape met her eyes for a moment, before returning to the papers he had ignored. He said nothing for the remainder of the detention. In fact, no one did. McGonagall was surprised when she returned to see the papers stacked neatly, all alphabetized chronologically.

"Well, it all seems to be in order," she said, surveying the work through her square spectacles. "You may all go now."

The students filed silently out of the room, James leading the group with Lily on his heels and Electra and Remus bringing up the rear of the Gryffindor group, keeping Sirius a safe distance from his brother. Regulus and Severus stalked out of the room behind the Gryffindors, muttering between themselves. The Slytherins swiftly strode out of sight in the other direction. Before James could get the words, "Sirius, I think we should talk," out of his mouth, Sirius was already sprinting past him towards the Gryffindor Common Room at top speed.

"You've got to be fucking kidding me," James muttered under his breath. He too began to run as quickly as his feet could carry him to the Common Room. He could feel the others running behind him and as they rounded the final corner, The Fat Lady's portrait swung closed behind Sirius. James heard Lily beside him, "God damn it."

"Someone's… Someone's… Someone's in the kitchen," James huffed, as he doubled over, hands on his knees.

"Someone's in the kitchen with Dina," Electra breathed out hard as she began gasping for breath, clutching at a stitch in her side.

"Well, yes, dears, but I did hear from Vi that your friend Spencer was found in a compromising position with Regulus Black in the kitchens," The Fat Lady replied, winking scandalously at the four teens.

"The kitchens?" Electra gasped incredulously.

"Ewww," James added, before contemplating the mental images with him and Lily in the starring roles.

"Just open the door," Lily hollered before this ridiculous conversation could continue any further.

"What's that, dear?" The Fat Lady inquired, looking down at Lily.

"Someone's in the kitchen with Dina. That's the password. Someone's in the kitchen with Dina!" Lily hollered impatiently.

"Oh, you want to see the fight?" The Fat Lady asked as she swung forward.

"No, we just really need to pee," Electra muttered as she clambered in behind Remus, "Of course, we want to see the fight, crazy broad."

"Tell them Spencer, tell the entire Common room," Sirius' voice echoed throughout the common room as he came into view, his hands grasping either side of Spencer's face as she looked at him horrified.

"Sirius!" James yelled, stopping dead in his tracks as Sirius came into view.

"Shut up, James," Sirius barked back without even glancing at his best friend.

"Tell them, Spencer. I think they all deserve to know," Sirius continued.

"I… I need…" Spencer choked out. "I need cake."

"Oh, no, you don't get cake," Sirius smirked maniacally. "You get to tell the truth."

"Sirius, let her go," Remus tried to reason with him.

"Not until she tells me the truth, once and for all," Sirius responded, his eyes never leaving Spencer's.

"Tell me, Spencer, I need to hear you say it," Sirius bit out. "Is it true?"

Spencer began to shake as tears streamed down her face, but she did not respond.

"Is it true? Are you fucking my brother?" Sirius asked ruthlessly.

"Yes," Spencer whispered. Sirius' hands let go of her face as though he had been scalded by her skin.

"You traitorous bitch!" Sirius roared.

"Sirius!" Electra shrieked as Spencer began to sob unabashedly in the middle of the Common room.

"The truth hurts, doesn't it?" Sirius asked Spencer scathingly.

"Sirius, stop it," Lily commanded hoarsely.

"Stop what?" Sirius hollered. "Hurting her? Because I'm pretty sure I'm the one who got fucked over in this situation."

"You fucked me over too, Siri," Spencer said quietly.

Sirius paused for a moment, shocked to see the hurt in her bloodshot, blue eyes.

"No," he responded after a second, "I think my brother did that."

"And I enjoyed it," Spencer replied fiercely. The room fell into stunned silence as all eyes fell on Spencer's shaking form.

"How could you?" Sirius cried. "You know how much I hate him. And you have to know how much you mean to me…"

"No, Sirius!" Spencer cut him off. "I have no idea how much I mean to you. I only know how much you mean to me."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Sirius asked, his eyes boring into hers, comprehension never dawning. Spencer's glassy eyes began to tear again as she realized her words were lost upon him. She turned her back to him, walking towards the portrait hole.

"What are you doing?" Sirius screamed at her retreating back.

"Walking out on you," Spencer stopped dead in her tracks, she was beyond the point of breaking. "I thought you'd consider the gesture considering you do it to me all the time."

Sirius took three long strides over to her and grabbed her upper-arm roughly, "Where the fuck do you think you're going?"

Spencer ripped her arm out of his grasp. She looked him straight in the eye and stated coldly, "Back to your brother".

Sirius' arms went limp at his sides as he watched, thunderstruck, as one of the people he loved most in the world ran back into the arm's of the one person he hated most.

* * *

**A/N:** REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW! Okay, we know Edward Cullen didn't show up like we promised in our profile, but if you want a good laugh you should go read our updated profile. But before you do that REVIEW!


	18. It Gets The Worst At Night

A/N: Merry Christmas all! Wait, what's that? We're updating and it hasn't been five months since the last one? Go us! So, here's the next installment… prepare yourselves kids, it's going to be a bumpy ride.

Chapter 18

It Gets The Worst At Night

Silence fell upon the Common Room as the Fat Lady's portrait swung shut in Spencer's wake. No one moved for several moments before the assembled students exploded into noise and motion as if Spencer's departure had been the final second on a bomb waiting to detonate.

Comments, most of them uncomplimentary, flew through the air at top volume. No one would ever have thought that Spencer, sweet, anxious Spencer who had always carried a torch for Sirius would ever betray their house by shacking up with a Slytherin.

"Shut up, all of you!" Sirius bellowed but the cacophony continued. Sirius blinked through the strands of hair that fell in front of his blistering dark eyes. His hands, balled into fists at his sides were shaking as he began to stride over to the portrait hole. Lily moved to comfort him but James held her back.

"Let him go," Remus said gently, taking Electra's elbow when she made to stop Sirius from exiting the room.

"Not after what he said to Spencer," Electra snarled.

"It'll all be better once he's had a chance to run this off," Remus continued. "I think all of us could use some time to calm down and think things over. Do you need my help handling this?" he added, turning to James and Lily. He glanced meaningfully at the carnival-like atmosphere that had erupted in the Common Room.

"No, we've got it. Thanks, Moony," James replied.

"Why don't we go for a walk?" Remus suggested to Electra, who snorted but allowed herself to be led out anyway.

Lily looked hopelessly up at James. She wanted nothing more than to block all of them out, to go somewhere quiet and try and think of a way to deal with the crisis they had on their hands.

James drew his wand, firelight glinting off of his glasses dangerously. He flicked his wrist and a series of loud bangs echoed through the tower. Silence descended once again upon the Gryffindors.

"Listen up, you lot," James said, his eyes narrowed. "I don't want to hear a word about Spencer or Sirius uttered in my presence. No matter what you think about them, you keep those thoughts to yourself or you'll wind up in detention before you even get the words out."

"You can't do that!" an indignant fourth-year exploded.

"Yes we can," Lily interjected seriously. "The last time I checked we were still Head Boy and Girl and I don't think Professor McGonagall would be impressed by you insulting your housemates," she said coldly, emerald eyes flashing.

"Come on Lily," James said quietly, taking her hand and tugging her toward the staircase which led to the boys' dormitories. She fell into step behind him, her small hand gripping his so tightly; he wondered idly if he would have a bruise tomorrow.

- - -

Spencer's shoes scraped a staccato rhythm on the flagstones as she hurried through the corridors of Hogwarts. She had intended to go see Regulus, but now she didn't know if he would want to deal with her, especially since the uproar upsetting everyone was caused by his brother. She probably looked awful, tears streaming down her face, her breath coming in short rasps as she fought back the anxiety that was making her heart pound.

She looked around her. She had emerged into the fourth floor without really thinking about it. She went down a small corridor and paused in front of a large tapestry of a bunch of medieval wizards feasting on something. It guarded the entrance to a small alcove Spencer had discovered first year. It was her quiet place where she always went to be alone.

Well, not always alone, she mused. Regulus had often met her here when they had just begun talking. The tears ran down her face again and she pushed aside the tapestry.

A hand gripped her upper arm. She yelped, her free hand searching frantically for her wand.

"You're going to have to learn to be faster with your wand than that, Spencer," a familiar voice chided her.

Ashamed, Spencer turned her face away. "What are you doing, Reg?" she asked hollowly.

"Looking for you, of course," Regulus responded, his voice tinged with concern. "I almost went to the Room of Requirement, but I took a chance that you would come here instead." He wiped away a tear with his thumb. "I brought cake," he whispered, brushing his lips across her forehead.

At this, Spencer threw her arms around him, her nails digging into the heavy knit of his black sweater. "What am I going to do?" she moaned.

Regulus buried his face in her long hair. "Stay with me," was all he said.

- - -

"James," Lily asked, her fingers tracing the veins in his forearms, "what are we going to do if Sirius doesn't forgive Spencer?" She lifted her head from where it had been resting on his chest and he turned his head to look at her.

"He will," James responded, his voice full of assurance.

"How do you know?" Lily said, propping her head up on her hand so she could see his face more easily.

"Because Sirius loves her," James returned, brushing her flaming red locks behind her ear. Lily's mouth turned down at the corner as she processed this information. "I don't think he's _in love_ with her," James said quickly, "but she's been one of his closest friends ever since he came here. And Sirius won't turn his back on his friends."

"But she…betrayed him," Lily said, unable to come up with a different word.

"Lils," James said, reaching up to wrap his hand around her hip, "we have no control over Sirius, or his bastard of a brother, or Spencer. We do have control over what we do right now and I for one," he tugged her down so that she was lying on top of him, "have been dying to kiss you all damn day."

"Is that even appropriate given the current circumstances?" Lily queried, but there wasn't much strength behind the argument.

James laughed and drew her lips down to his. "We're teenagers. If we were always appropriate, I would worry about our mental health." He rolled them over so that Lily was pressed into the mattress. "For example, today when we were in detention, I couldn't help but think that you look really sexy when filing reports. Not appropriate at all."

Lily blushed scarlet but laughed all the same. "Are you still thinking inappropriate thoughts?" Lily teased, wrapping her leg around his waist playfully.

"With you doing that?" James said, his voice almost cracking. "Most definitely."

She reached up to mesh their mouths together once more. She pulled away and put her lips right next to his ear as his trailed tentatively down her neck. "Me too," she whispered before words were no longer required.

- - -

The giant black dog whimpered as it curled up under one of the stands in the Quidditch stadium. Sirius had run all the way around the grounds, trying to work off his anger. The edge of it had dulled slightly and now the pain of betrayal and the remorse settled in. He still did not understand, and doubted if he ever would, what had driven his sweet, blue-eyed Spencer into the arms of his dark-arts obsessed brother.

Surely, if Spencer had been so lonely, weren't there other better alternatives. Hell, he could have spent some quality time with her if that's what it took from preventing her from going down that road. Worse, wasn't the fact that she had actually fallen in love with the asshole, she had actually slept with him. The mental image that bore was repulsive and made him want to rip out his younger brother's throat.

Why did it have to be her? He wanted to scream.

The dog stayed still under the bleachers as the night seemed to grow blacker than the thoughts that plagued it.

- - -

"James, do something," Lily hissed at him. It had been almost a week since 'the incident' as many of the Gryffindors had taken to calling it had occurred. A few heads near them in the Common Room turned at hearing Lily's complaint. James looked up from the essay he had been working on.

"Alright," he agreed. He leant across the table and pressed his lips to hers gently. Giggles rippled through the students.

"That wasn't what I meant, James," Lily retorted in a whisper, but turned her eyes to her own essay after they lingered at the brooding form of Sirius Black actually _doing_ homework in the corner.

"Point for Potter," Katie whispered, whipping out her ever-present ledger, which she unfortunately got to use very little these days.

"Why does he get a point for that?" her friend whispered beside her.

"He diffused a potential argument, which basically counts as winning it," she explained.

"I agree with Lily," Remus said softly after a moment, closing his Defense Against the Dark Arts book on the table before him. "Something must be done. And kissing Lily doesn't count," he added, seeing James move once more.

"Maybe we could lock Spencer and Sirius up in a closet until they decide to forgive each other," James suggested, putting his quill down with a sigh.

"We would have to find her first," Lily interjected.

"I think we all know where Spencer is," Electra snorted, snapping a roll of parchment shut, "or at least who she's with."

Lily moaned and hit her head on the table with a dull thunk. Remus patted her back consolingly from his seat beside her. "I don't know if they'll ever be friends again," the redhead stated miserably. "They'll never forgive each other."

Remus shook his head, leaning back in his chair. "I think it's more a matter of if Sirius will ever forgive Spencer. I think we all know how she feels about the matter."

"So how do we get Sirius to forgive her?" Electra demanded.

"We don't," Lily said, plopping her chin in her hand.

"Personally, I think he should apologize for how he treated her," Electra added darkly. "But I would even let that slide if it meant things could go back to normal."

"Well first I think we'd have a better chance at succeeding if we took his mind off of it for a while," James murmured thoughtfully as if he was planning a good prank. "Maybe if we got him in a good mood, he'd be more willing to consider it."

Lily shook her head back and forth, her red tresses dancing with the movement. "What could possibly do that?" she asked miserably.

Electra cleared her throat loudly. Three pairs of eyes widened as they watched the girl remove her robe before loosening her tie and popping open a couple of buttons on her blouse. The effect was so borderline indecent that it caused Remus to look away, blushing.

"What are you doing?" Lily demanded, the only one at the table unphased by Electra's behavior.

"Just watch," Electra replied, her hand ruffling her black hair. She stood up, moved around the table and walked purposefully to the corner that Sirius had made his own over the last few days. Electra bent down, putting her hands on either of the chair arms effectively placing her cleavage at Sirius' eye level.

The friends couldn't hear what was being said but soon Electra had slid the book out of Sirius' hands and herself into his lap. It looked like she was whispering some sort of delectable secret into Sirius' ear, and after a few moments Sirius nodded his head feebly. Electra stood up and sashayed her way back to the table, her smile triumphant.

"What the hell was that?" James asked flabbergasted as Electra sat down and redid a few of her blouse buttons.

"You said you wanted him in a good mood," Electra replied defensively.

"And a cheering charm wouldn't have worked?" Lily asked incredulously, placing her palms flat on the table.

"No one mentioned that before," Electra said with a shrug.

"What did you tell him?" Remus inquired, looking over his shoulder to where Sirius was sitting, his eyes wide and unfocused.

"I asked him to go with me to Hogsmeade this weekend," Electra said smugly.

"But there's no Hogsmeade trip this weekend," James said, glancing at Lily who was staring at her friend as if she'd suddenly proclaimed a desire to join the Russian Ballet.

"Exactly," Electra replied. With a wide grin, she glanced over the top of Remus' head and winked seductively at a slack-jawed Sirius.

- - -

"Is this even safe?" Sirius balked as Electra, sporting a rather figure hugging dress and red high-heels tugged him towards her.

"Since when have you been concerned about safety, Black?" she taunted, raising an eyebrow. She threw James' invisibility cloak around them. "Stick close," she warned, concerned that people would be able to see their feet as they traversed the corridors.

"Like that's ever been a problem with us," Sirius retorted. Electra smiled, it was the first time in a week that Sirius had spoken and sounded like his usual self. The ordeal with Spencer had taken a serious toll on the group of friends. Tonight was one step on the road to recovery in her mind.

Even though Sirius was holding the Marauders' Map open in front of Electra, the pair still peeked carefully around corners for stray ghosts or the vile caretaker. Sirius noticed that several of the paintings seemed to eye them as they passed. "Were those the wisest choice of shoes to wear when sneaking out at night?" he whispered in her ear.

"Probably not," she responded with a shrug. "Would you have preferred different?" Sirius paused for a moment, remembering the way her long, caramel colored legs had looked in the red patent leather shoes and shook his head.

"No, I love those shoes," Sirius said fervently. She laughed and he clamped a hand over her mouth, quieting her.

Sirius waited until they were safely inside the tunnel that led to Honeydukes before he asked, "Where are we going?"

"To get really, really drunk," Electra responded shaking her black hair back with a smile. She grabbed his hand and led him down the dirt passageway, her wand lit in front of them.

"At the Hog's Head?" Sirius asked incredulously.

"No, at the Three Broomsticks," Electra responded. "It'll be crowded this time of night, so we'll be able to hide easier. And if we are recognized, well, who would begrudge a pair of young lovers a date to distract their distraught minds from the troubles of wartime," she simpered, batting her eyelashes.

"Are we a pair of young lovers?" Sirius asked, unable to keep the hopeful tone out of his voice.

"No," Electra responded, shooting him an exasperated look, "we're a couple of teenagers with too much shit going on in their lives who just need to forget about it for a while. But if anyone asks we're lovers."

The two climbed carefully out of the trapdoor and into the storeroom of Honeydukes. Sirius replaced the floorboards with a small creak. Electra removed her shoes and followed after Sirius who wended his way to the front of the store. He silently undid the locking charm on the front door, shaking his head at the weak nature of the charm. He'd expected a greater challenge in the middle of a war. With a soft click, the two were outside on the main street of Hogsmeade.

Grinning, Electra replaced her shoes as they headed down the street to the famous pub. As promised, the place was crowded, bustling with all manner of witches and wizards, not to mention a few goblins, all clamoring to hear the news about the war. Sirius and Electra were hardly noticed as they entered the crush of noise and bodies. Most of the attention of the gathered crowd seemed to be turned on a burly-looking man in Auror's robes. The woman who appeared to be his partner was staring on disapprovingly as he told the story of his latest encounter with a group of Death Eaters last week.

Sirius and Electra worked their way to two stools at the bar in the corner which was not being manned by the lovely Madame Rosmerta but a rather plain-looking girl with hair flying every which way. Sirius ordered two Firewhiskey's with a wink. The girl looked at him with a bemused expression. "You finished your last one that fast, sir?" she shook her head when Sirius asked her what she was talking about and placed the requested drink in front of him.

Sirius and Electra were getting well into their third drink, and the pub was into the second chorus of a rowdy drinking song when Sirius grabbed Electra suddenly and buried his face in her neck. "What are you doing?" she laughed. "I'm not even near the point of considering that yet."

"Shhh," he hissed against her skin. She shivered slightly. Sirius catalogued _that_ reaction away for exploitation later that night. "Look," he commanded pointing to the other side of the crowded bar.

Confused, Electra turned her head slightly, to look as a very familiar face approached the bar. "I'll have another mulled meade and a glass of Ogden's," Regulus Black drawled, flicking sickles lazily onto the counter.

The frazzled looking girl, cocked her head to the side as she poured the desired drinks, spilling some of the liquid onto the counter top. "Excuse me," she asked in her thick Irish accent, wiping up the mess she had made "but do you have a brother, sir?"

Regulus smiled wryly. "No, I have no brother to speak of," he replied, accepting the drinks and heading for a crowded table a few feet away.

"What's your brother doing here?" Electra hissed into Sirius' ear, as he picked his head up out of the crook of her neck.

"It looks like he's here with people, too." Sirius stared darkly over the heads of the crowd to where his brother was sitting, surrounded by a small group of teenagers and a couple of men who looked to be about twenty-five. They were speaking hurriedly, their heads bowed together against the noise of the pub.

"Nothing good," Sirius responded. He eyed the group in the mirror over the bar.

"Sirius," Electra said urgently, gripping his elbow, "you don't think that those are Death Eaters." Her voice dropped on the last words.

"That's exactly what I think," Sirius responded, his voice clipped.

"Your brother couldn't be," Electra said, her eyes wide. "Spencer wouldn't―"

"Who knows what Spencer wouldn't do anymore," Sirius snapped, slamming his cup on the table. The man sitting next to them looked up abruptly from his alcoholic haze.

"Excellent whiskey tonight, isn't it my fine fellow?" Sirius said cheerily, clapping the man on the back, who nodded meekly before falling face first onto the bar, dead to the world.

"What are you doing?" Electra whispered, alarmed as Sirius got up out of his stool, and took the invisibility cloak out of his pocket.

"I'm going to find out if they're Death Eaters," he responded matter-of-factly. "Here," he said in a low voice, "I want you to send the two older guys drinks," he set some money onto the counter. "I'll be back in a minute."

"You want me to flirt with a Death Eater?" Electra whispered alarmed, at him but all that was there was thin air. Sirius had already thrown on the cloak and vanished. Panic flooded through Electra's system, cold and strong. If they were Death Eaters, what would she do if they caught Sirius? It was an event that was more than likely to happen with the amount of people who could potentially bump into, or trip over Sirius. What if someone accidentally tugged the cloak and Sirius' disembodied head appeared in the middle of the room? That would lead to more than just odd questions.

Wishing with all her might that no one had been observant enough to notice her "date" disappear suddenly, Electra leaned over the bar and gestured to the girl. "Could you do me a big favor?" she asked with a devious smile, "I'd like to have drinks sent over to those two gentlemen at the table over there. The older-looking ones," she specified.

"Didn't you have a gentleman with you?" the barmaid asked curiously, but took the money Electra offered her anyway.

"Oh, we're not together exactly," Electra responded glossily, waving her hand in a carefree manner. "But if two good-looking men came over here to talk to me, it might give him a prod in the right direction, if you know what I mean," Electra lied smoothly.

The barmaid shot her a knowing look, nodding her untamed head in understanding. "So you want to make him jealous then?" Electra nodded her head. "Well this'll do the trick, all right."

"That's what I'm hoping for," Electra's grin widened.

The fear was beginning to be replaced by the rush of adrenaline that always accompanied dangerous situations. Hot and intoxicating, the heady feeling of playing with fire consumed Electra at times like this. Her world slightly clouded by alcohol, Electra was too caught up in the rush to wonder if tonight would be the first time she would get burned.

She fluffed her hair, flipping it over her shoulder before shifting her barstool in the direction of the table and watched with a ball of anxiety and excitement in the pit of her stomach as the barmaid approached the table. She bent over, placing the drinks in front of the two twenty-somethings and said something to them before gesturing in Electra's direction. All of the men at the table turned their heads quickly to gaze at her. She curled her lips back over her teeth slowly and it didn't take too much effort to muster up her best seductive wave.

One of the younger boys whistled. Electra noticed that she had been recognized, not only by one of the younger boys, a Slytherin seventh year, but by Regulus Black, as well. Leave it to Sirius not to think of the one flaw in an otherwise well thought out plan. Or at least she hoped it was well thought out. She really had no idea what Sirius thinking, and had no choice now but to play along.

She lifted her glass of Ogden's from the counter and gracefully tipped it in the men's direction.

And then she understood. As the leering men went to return the gesture, one picked up his glass with his right hand, and the other man, his left. When the second man raised his arm, the sleeve of his robe fell down to his elbow revealing a grisly black skull.

He quickly covered the mark and looked up to check if Electra had seen it. She winked, pretending that she hadn't, but she met Regulus' eyes for just a moment and would have bet her broomstick that he knew she was out for more than a late-night drink and that she wasn't alone.

But that was the least of Electra's problems, as one of the men had taken the drink as the invitation it normally would have been, and was currently making his way over to her through the throng of people. _Why is no one paying attention!_ Her mind screamed. Had only she seen the damning mark emblazoned on his forearm? She gritted her teeth in a pained smile, her hand gripping her wand. She had heard stories of the things Death Eaters had done to the women they captured, and none of it involved polite conversation at the Three Broomsticks.

"Hey there," the man said as he leaned on the scrubbed wooden surface of the bar. She resisted the impulse to roll her eyes. Death Eater or not, a man was still a man.

Remain calm, Electra told herself sternly. "Hello yourself," she returned warmly, her grip tightening on her wand.

"Darling, who is this?" a voice growled from her side. Sirius had returned, and his dark eyes were blazing.

"I don't know, baby, I've never seen him in my life," Electra cooed. She mouthed 'sorry' to the man, who looked unreasonably put out for someone who had just found out that his score of the night had a boyfriend.

"If you'll excuse us, sir," Sirius said, "the lady and I have some business to attend to." He wrapped an arm securely around her waist and before she knew it they were through the crowd of people and back on the almost empty street. Electra breathed in the cool spring night air with relief and glee. She laughed and was surprised to hear Sirius echo the sound. Electra would have thought that after finding your younger brother in the company of Death Eaters would have put a damper on one's mood, but it seemed to have the opposite effect on Sirius. In fact, he seemed almost gleeful about it.

"Come on," Sirius said, his hand tightening on hers as he led her quickly back the way they had come.

"What are you going to do?" Electra asked, trotting to keep up with him.

"Go to Dumbledore," Sirius replied fiercely. And if he hadn't been her rescuer moment's earlier, Electra might have been frightened by the absolutely ruthless grin that twisted his good-looking features.


	19. I Just Died in Your Arms Tonight

A/N: Here we are again! So, it took us a really long time, we know. But living in separate states most of the year tends to slow down the writing process a bit. However, we are proud to present to you our longest, most-emotionally charged, and suspenseful chapter to date! At least, we hope it's all those things. Enjoy the next thirty-two pages, because it took forever to edit them.

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**Chapter 19:**  
**I Just Died In Your Arms Tonight**

"Electra, slow down!" Sirius barked after the tall, slender girl as he sprinted after her down the stone corridor towards the Gryffindor Common room. He grimaced as the sound of his feet slamming against the floor echoed in the empty corridor. They had barely watched Electra's owl, Orestes, disappear from the owlery window (bearing the letter incriminating Regulus to the absent Dumbledore) when Electra had taken off suddenly _with _the invisibility cloak. Sirius was left to chase after her scarlet heels, the only part of her visible as she darted around the castle, uncaring whether she drew the caretaker's attention.

Sirius, in severe danger of being caught out of bed, was desperate to once again be under the safety of the cloak. "Electra, come on!" he hissed, as she rounded another corner. He picked up his pace as he flitted through the shadows and suddenly regretted it as he skidded around the corridor in his glossy shoes, almost smashing head first into a torch hanging on the stone wall.

"Merlin fucking Grindlewald, woman. Slow down," he called as loud as he dared. The rapid _click, click, click, click_ of her stilettos against the flagstone floor was her only response. How in the world was a girl in heels outrunning him? Sirius wondered.

Ahead of him, Electra emerged onto the currently empty landing in a room of changing staircases. Even in the dead of night, the stairs magically swung themselves around randomly, thudding as the moving flights reached their destinations. Sirius smiled in relief as he skidded to a halt behind Electra, who was forced to wait for a staircase to arrive.

_Stairs, yes, that'll slow her down, _he thought. He reached up to duck under the invisibility cloak just as a staircase connected to their landing with an unpleasant grinding sound.

But to his chagrin, the stairs, which he hoped would slow his friend down, seemed to make her go, if possible, faster. Her long, gazelle-like legs (blissfully exposed by the slipping invisibility cloak) took the stairs two at a time.

Had he not seen her feet hitting the solid surface of the stairs, and not heard the menacing click of her heels hitting the stone, Sirius would have thought she was floating upwards. Even in his haste to catch her, Sirius couldn't help but stop and enjoy the view as he watched her gracefully climb the stairs. In that moment, she looked like an angel ascending into the heavens. An incredibly pissed off angel in devil-red high heels.

Just as he was beginning to ask himself, for the hundredth time, what he had done to set her off, Electra reached the top of the staircase. Sirius realized with horror that said staircase had just issued the telltale grinding noise which indicated it was about to move.

"Bloody fuck," he muttered before launching himself up the flight of stairs as they began to pivot away from the landing where Electra was tugging the invisibility cloak back on. Sirius took the stairs three at a time, hoping that he would make it to the top of the stairs before they had swung too far away from where Electra was. As he reached the top of the flight, Electra whipped around to see how far behind he was.

"Don't even think about it, Black," she screamed. Her fiery eyes suddenly anxious as Sirius, without a second thought, launched himself off the moving platform towards the landing on which she stood.

Sirius groaned loudly as his chest collided with the center of the stone platform. His hands and arms clutched at the flat top, while the rest of his body dangled dangerously into the vast expanse of nothingness below him. Electra scrambled over to him, grabbing his hands in order to help pull him onto the landing. She finally succeeded in doing so with the aid of a quick levitation spell.

"Black, are you mad?" she asked him harshly as they both collapsed safely on the landing. At this question Sirius' usual bark of laughter rang out loudly, bouncing off the stone walls. Aglow once again with the high of living dangerously, Electra couldn't help but join in his laughter. The less glorious aspects of their nighttime adventure were temporarily forgotten. Their bodies continued to shake with laughter, though the noise began to die down.

"You have a really beautiful laugh, you know that?" Sirius said suddenly, cutting through the comfortable sound of their labored breathing. Electra caught her breath sharply and gaped at him like a grindylow out of water.

"What?" Sirius asked, propping himself up on his elbow to stare back at her.

"You just said something nice," Electra blurted out.

"I say nice things to you all the time," Sirius said defensively.

"No. No, you say perverted things to me all the time," Electra corrected him, shifting into a sitting position on the cold stone floor of the landing.

"I do no-" Sirius stopped himself, realizing that she was right. She looked at him, a knowing smile playing across her lips. "Okay, so maybe I do."

"You usually say something randy," Electra continued, "never something sweet. I think this is the first genuine thing you've ever said to me." Sirius realized with a start, that it was true. Even though they spent the majority of their time in each other's company, going to class, planning pranks of diabolical genius, or just being with their other friends, Sirius couldn't recall a time he'd complimented her on something other than her appearance.

They sat, sprawled awkwardly along the corridor, studying each other. Electra watched him as he let his eyes wander up her long legs to her hips, up over her chest, to her face. She found, secretly, that she didn't really mind his gaze. She titled her head, attempting to look him directly in the eye, but he ripped his from hers and redirected them towards the floor.

"Listen, Electra," Sirius' gruff voice finally broke the long silence. "I'm sorry about the stuff I said earlier."

"What stuff, Black?" she questioned, wanting to make sure she was hearing correctly.

"You know," Sirius muttered, rubbing the back of his neck with the palm of his hand. "All of the…erm, inappropriate comments I've made in your direction over the past seven years. I'm... I'm sorry. I shouldn't have been so…uhm, outright with my…erm, feelings."

"Sirius, those weren't feelings," Electra said bluntly. "It was one feeling."

"Ah, that's probably true," Sirius chuckled lightly. "Look, what I'm trying to say is that you don't deserve to be treated that way, and I'm sorry for being such an asshole to you."

Electra just stared at him, dumbstruck. Who the hell was this and what had they done with her (though it slightly shamed her to admit it) friend, Sirius Black, the world's most egotistical asshole?

"Are you feeling alright?" she asked, concerned.

"Yes, I feel fine," he responded, pushing himself to his feet.

He brushed off his dress pants, and Electra was unable to quit staring at him like a new specimen she had never encountered before. "No, seriously, Sirius," she punned, hoping to get a rise out of him. "Are you alright?"

"Yes, I'm alright," he shook his head, holding out a hand to help her to her feet. "And don't think I missed that serious-Sirius joke."

"Well, if you're okay, then why this sudden need to apologize and to be a…" she trailed off, sliding her hand into his. The contact, for some inexplicable reason, made her skin tingle.

"Be a what?" he asked, helping her fold the invisibility cloak over them both.

"Be a man," she said, turning away from him under the cloak, "and not some petulant little child." It was hard to tell in the flickering red light of the torches, but Sirius could have sworn her caramel skin was covered with a faint flush.

"I don't know," he admitted, hunkering over her once more so their feet wouldn't be exposed as they began to slowly traverse the route back to Gryffindor tower. "All this stuff with Spencer and Regulus has really got me thinking, and I-"

"Oh, Merlin," Electra cut him off, her back and shoulders tensing.

"What?" Sirius asked, irritated that she had interrupted him when he was trying to be open with her.

"James and Lily," Electra stated loudly, beginning to walk as quickly as possible towards the Gryffindor Common room. Before she could once again take off with the cloak, Sirius wrapped an arm around her waist and hauled her back against him.

"What in the bleeding hell do James and Lily have to do with this fiasco?" Sirius questioned as he violently turned her around to face him.

"We have to tell them, you dumbass," Electra's voice began to rise, their previous amiable conversation forgotten so quickly one would've thought her memory had been obliviated.

"Tell them what?" Sirius' challenged.

"Everything," Electra shrieked. She caught herself as the sound magnified around them in the stillness of the sleeping castle. If she wasn't careful, they would draw that damn cat's attention and then they would really be in for it. "We have to tell them everything," she whispered furiously.

"But, why?" Sirius spat back. "It's not like they can do anything! It's not like they can take back what Spencer has done. Or what Regulus has done. Or what we just did. There's nothing they can do!"

"They're our friends. Maybe they can help us clean up this mess we've landed ourselves in!" Electra was virtually shaking against his chest with rage. Sirius noted for the first time that her temper was riled so easily it nearly matched his.

"Why are you so fucking angry?" Sirius asked, completely nonplussed. It made no sense to him. She had been resolute that they send Dumbledore an owl about Regulus after overhearing McGonagall tell Flitwick in the staff room that the Headmaster had left for London. A moment later she was running away from him, only to calmly converse with him on the landing minutes after that. Now she was borderline irate.

"Because we shouldn't have sent Dumbledore that letter!" Electra's palm slammed against his chest. Sirius gripped her arms to prevent her from hitting him again, earning him a death glare.

"What do you mean we shouldn't have sent that letter? Regulus is a Death Eater, Electra. A Death Eater! He tortures and kills people of muggle parentage for fun; he shouldn't be in a school full of muggle-born students. We did the right thing," Sirius stated vehemently.

"I know, I know." Electra tore her arms out of his grasp aggressively. Sirius had to scramble to pull the cloak back over their heads. "But, we should have warned Spencer first. She deserves to know what's going to happen to her boyfriend."

Sirius practically snarled at her. Electra rubbed her temple, trying to ward off the massive headache she could feel developing and took a deep breath.

"Listen." Electra grabbed his hand and pulled him into an abandoned classroom, tired of having to speak in whispers. "I hate him just as much as you do, but it doesn't change the fact that Spencer doesn't."

Electra, suddenly feeling defeated, leaned up against a desk that looked as battered as she felt. "She loves him, Sirius. I know how much of an absolute shit bag he is, but she doesn't see it. Having him carted off to Azkaban is going to break her heart, absolutely shatter it. She doesn't deserve that, not after everything she's been through."

"But wanting to keep Spencer happy doesn't justify keeping _him_," Sirius spat the word out of his mouth abrasively, "in this school to keep doing what he's doing." He kicked over a dustbin as an unwelcome image of Spencer wrapped in his brother's branded arms came to the forefront of his mind.

"You don't know if he's actually done anything," Electra pointed out, grasping at straws. She was not really sure if she was trying to convince Sirius or herself of Regulus' possible innocence at this point.

"Oh yes, because most people become Death Eaters for its social aspect." Sirius threw his hands in the air dramatically. "They're killers, Electra, every last one of them, including my darling baby brother. I'm sorry Spencer is going to have to suffer for it, but he doesn't deserve to walk free. " He shuddered as another unwanted image bombarded him. "Especially after…"

Electra raked her hands through her long, frazzled chocolate brown hair, shutting her eyes tightly. "You're right. You are," she conceded when Sirius glanced at her in surprise. "I know you are. But we have to tell Spencer. She should hear from us why her boyfriend is being taken away from her. And we're going to need James and Lily to look after her, because we won't be high on her favorites list when she finds out."

Sirius stood there in silence for a few moments. Electra could see his resolve to take down his brother breaking at the thought of hurting Spencer. The last couple of days had been especially hard on him, not knowing if he and Spencer would ever find a way to resolve their differences.

"Just give me a minute," Sirius ground out, beginning to pace back and forth while running his over-sized hands through his hair in agitation. He abruptly stopped and turned to Electra, opened his mouth, but no noise came out. He snapped it shut and continued to pace.

Electra, who was at first amused by this behavior, became impatient. Not knowing exactly what she was waiting for, she began tapping her foot restlessly against the floor. Sirius' shuffling steps ceased.

"Could you stop that?" he asked incredulously, as he pointed at her feet. "That noise is interrupting my concentration."

"What concentration?" Electra said coldly. Her nerves were coming to their breaking point for the millionth time that night and she was about to throw _herself_ off of a moving staircase just to feel that welcome rush and escape it all. "You're just pacing back and forth brooding because you can't have everything you want."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Sirius' eyes flashed dangerously as he took two large steps towards Electra, trying to close the large gap between them.

"You're not trying to decide what to do." Electra pushed herself off of the desk, the color of her face matching the bright scarlet of her dress. "You're trying to figure out how to get everything you want because you can't stand not always having your way."

"You don't know what you're talking about!" Sirius barked, his anger growing with every second. "And what exactly is wrong with you? You keep switching moods every five seconds like a hippogriff in heat!"

Electra's eyes darkened dangerously with his last statement but she chose not to address it. "I know exactly what I'm talking about!" Electra shrieked, starting to circle him like a harpy descending on its prey. "You want to get rid of Regulus, but you can't do that without losing Spencer. But we've already owled Dumbledore and there's no way to take that back. All you can decide is what's more important to you: yourself or Spencer."

"What is that even supposed to mean?" Sirius asked again, his hand darting out to grab her arm roughly.

"You know exactly what it means, you imbecile," Electra returned, her tone dangerously cool. They stared at each other, trying to break the other's resistance. Sirius' large dark eyes searched hers until he felt something within him snap in a way that felt suspiciously like a part of his own heart breaking.

"Fuck," he muttered, releasing his grip on Electra.

"So what's it going to be, Sirius?" Electra asked arrogantly, squaring her shoulders and elegantly placing her hands on her hips. "Are you going to stop being so goddamn selfish and childish and actually think of someone else's feelings for once?"

"I fucking hate this," Sirius sighed, picking up the invisibility cloak with resignation.

"Well, you don't have to like it, you just have to do it," Electra told him matter-of-factly. Sirius lost count of the number of mood shifts her most recent change in attitude made as he contemplated the best way to hurt his friend.

* * *

"We have to tell Spencer," the words were hardly out of Lily's mouth before she started to take off for the stairs leading up to the girl's dormitory.

"Wait," Sirius said, darting in front of the entrance, his Quidditch reflexes still intact even though the season was over.

Sirius and Electra had trudged back to the Common room to find it blissfully empty save for the exact three people they were looking for. James and Remus had been sprawled across the hearth rug in front of the roaring fire playing a very fast paced game of Exploding Snap, while Lily sat, tightly curled up in a plush arm chair next to the boys, reading an extremely thick book. Sirius and Electra didn't waste their time on greetings and dove immediately into their story.

James', Remus', and Lily's expressions (which had started out confused at their friends' early arrival back to the castle) had quickly turned to complete panic as Electra wrapped up their tale by informing the trio of the letter she and Sirius had sent to Dumbledore. Lily had immediately reacted by wanting to go tell Spencer everything; the sooner the better. James and Remus on the other hand, still seemed to be in mild shock over the whole ordeal.

"She needs to know," Lily said, attempting to sidestep Sirius. "Maybe we shouldn't tell her." She met Sirius' staggered gaze. "This last week was hard enough. Maybe if she never found out it was you, we could go back to normal."

"Merlin fucking Grindlewald," James said, running his hand roughly through his already messy hair. He jumped as Electra's heel set off an Exploding Snap card. "We should…sit, think," James murmured sinking into the sofa.

"How did this happen?" Lily whispered, worry etched across her pale face, but she allowed Sirius to lead her back to the center of the room. She sat on the floor in front of the sofa, her back resting next to James' legs.

"I wish I knew, Tiger Lily. I wish I knew," Sirius said, plopping down into a chair.

Remus said nothing as he walked over to a seat by the fire, and let himself drop into its embrace. He sat hunched over his knees, hands rubbing his eyes. His emaciated body seemed to be even thinner these days, even though the full moon was still two and a half weeks away.

"Are you sure he's a… a Death Eater?" James choked on the last words.

"He is," Electra huffed, leaning against a study table. "Unless he just likes to hang out with older blokes who happen to be branded with the Dark Mark for fun."

"Damn," James breathed as he, like the rest of his friends, tried to resign himself to the situation. He slumped against the back of the overstuffed sofa, folding his arms across his chest.

"What do we do?" Sirius asked no one in particular.

"We could wait for Dumbledore to get back and talk it over with him," James suggested. "Just tell him you made a mistake, that Regulus isn't a Death Eater, and sweep it all under the rug."

"Oh, yes, because Dumbledore is just going to sweep an accusation of a Death Eater being in his school under the rug," Electra scoffed as she bent over to undo the straps on her heels.

"Do we really know enough about Dumbledore to predict his behavior?" Lily cut in pointedly.

"We could do nothing," Sirius said quickly. "Let Dumbledore come back and handle it. Pretend like we had nothing to do with it."

"_We_ had nothing to do with it," James stated loudly. He pointed directly at Sirius. "You, on the other hand, had everything to do with it."

"Hey, don't you blame me for this!" Sirius cried, jumping out of his chair.

"Well, you had to go and tell Dumbledore," James pointed out dryly, rising to his feet.

"Oh, piss off!" Sirius shoved James roughly. It was unjust really, Sirius thought. Wasn't James supposed to take his side? "It's not my fault my piece of shit brother is a Death Eater." Sirius yanked the front of James' sweater, pulling their faces inches apart. "If he was your brother and it was Lily, what would you have done?"

James' eyes narrowed dangerously behind his lenses. "_If _it was Lily, he would never have been given the chance because I would—"

"James!" Lily cut across him, sandwiching herself in between the boys. She placed her small hands on James' chest, and pushed him away from his best friend with surprising strength.

Electra took Lily's lead and unceremoniously pulled Sirius away by the scruff of his neck.

"Stop this," Lily commanded her boyfriend, staring him down. "Sirius needs you right now," she added in a whisper.

"Yelling at each other won't fix anything," Electra added sternly, slapping Sirius smartly on the back of the head for emphasis. Sirius glowered at her hypocritical statement.

"We have to tell Spencer," Remus said softly. The others jumped at the sound of his meek voice. In the intensity of the moment they had all but forgotten his presence. Remus looked over at them, the fire casting a ghostly shadow across the angles in his face. "There is no other option. We have to tell her and hope she handles it well, and then we will take it from there."

"Remus is right. We have to tell her," Lily concurred, looking over her shoulder at Electra and Sirius. She was not sure who looked more put out at the prospect of telling Spencer, with her infamous anxiety attacks, that the two of them had tattled on her Death Eater boyfriend and he was now in imminent danger.

After an unbearably long stretch of time, James finally broke the silence, "Someone needs to go get Spencer from the girl's dormitory so we can tell her. I'll go get some chocolate. I have a feeling we're going to need it."

"I'll go get her," Lily volunteered herself, suppressing a grimace. No one said anything as she made her way towards the stone stairwell which led up to the seventh year girl's room. She tucked a stray hair behind her ear, her left foot thudding against the first step.

The stairs seemed to multiply by one hundred, her journey upward feeling endless. But before she knew it, she was standing in front of the door, wondering faintly if Spencer could hear her labored breathing through the heavy wood. She reached out her small, porcelain colored hand to grab the doorknob, thinking that this was going to be the hardest thing she would do.

Little did she know it would be the easiest thing she would do that night.

* * *

11:27 P.M.

That's when Spencer's life changed forever.

The only reason she knew that was because she had checked her wrist watch right before Lily had walked into their room. She had been sitting Indian style on her bed, re-reading one of her favorite books (_The Sword of the Black Knight_) while she waited to meet up with Regulus later, when her petite red-headed friend had come shuffling into the room looking like someone had died.

She had followed Lily down to the Common Room calmly, skeptical that this was really a plot to get her to speak to Sirius again. However, she couldn't continue to sit in her room without discovering what had put the pathetic expression on Lily's face.

She had sat down, as she was instructed by Electra, in her favorite crimson arm chair next to Remus, who looked more solemn than she had ever seen him. She had studiously ignored Sirius' gaze as she listened carefully to Sirius and Electra's tale at first, but became increasingly hysterical as they continued. By the end of their story, she couldn't hear words anymore, all she heard was buzzing as her mind raced, her only thoughts of Regulus and how to keep him safe.

She didn't remember much after that. She knew she had cried because the white t-shirt she was wearing was tear-stained around the collar. She knew she had screamed because her throat was raw. She vaguely remembered ripping a cauldron cake out of James' hand before she had left the Common Room so quickly that she had forgotten she wasn't wearing a pair of trainers.

Now, as she tore down the granite corridor in only her socks, her long brown hair whipping behind her, Spencer finally realized she had no idea where she was going. She wasn't supposed to meet Regulus in their alcove until 12:30, and that was still another half hour away. She could always go and wait for him, but she was too anxious to sit still. What if she got caught roaming the corridors?

Fuck. Getting caught by an incompetent caretaker was the least of her worries now that her boyfriend was going to be a fugitive and her 'supposed' friends had sold her out. Spencer lit her wand, her tearful eyes having trouble adjusting to the dimness of the castle at night.

How could Sirius do this to her? Forget the rest of them. Their hearts were in the right place. She could forgive them.

But _him_? No, not after this.

The rest of them had done what they thought was best for her and her safety. Yeah, they had completely messed up _everything_ in the process, but they did so with good intentions. But not _him_.

Her heart was racing now from the combination of fury and anxiety. Her feet seemed to carry her of their own accord to where they knew she needed to be. She pulled her hair back into a low ponytail as she rounded a particularly sharp corner and sped down the marble staircase, her feet making barely any noise as she descended quickly into the darkness.

Who did he think he was? Why did he have to ruin her happiness just because he hated his brother?

She continued down the dark passageways to the lower level, her thoughts becoming more convoluted the deeper into the bowels of the castle she went. She couldn't think straight, couldn't see straight, and if she didn't get more chocolate into her system soon, she was going to have a heart attack.

Torches glanced off of the wall ahead and she extinguished her wand, knowing she was getting close. She quickened her pace, her feet padding against the cold stone as fast as they could. She took a left down the well-lit kitchen corridor, the torches were maintained by the busy house elves completing their regular nighttime cleanup of the castle.

She stopped in front of the portrait of the fruit bowl. Her trembling right arm reached up to the pear and tickled it lightly. The painting swung open, offering her the cheery comfort of the bustling kitchen.

As she entered the room her eyes clamped upon a tall figure with his back turned to her. He stood expectantly at the counter, like he was waiting for someone or something. He was dressed in all black and his hair was cut very short… just like…

"Regulus?"

* * *

12:07 A.M.

It had been ten minutes since the portrait hole had snapped shut in Spencer's wake. Ten minutes and no one had moved. A tense silence had fallen upon them and no one seemed willing to break it.

Sure, James continued to look at his wrist watch every fifteen seconds hoping that Spencer would come storming back into the room, hair billowing behind her. Sirius was pacing back and forth like a wild animal in time to the tapping of Electra's bare foot. Lily was running her hands up and down her arms as though she were warding off cold as she stared into the now dying flames of the fireplace, while Remus continued to slouch back in his chair and then pull himself back up into a more dignified position. But, none of them were actually doing anything.

They had just opened the biggest can of flobberworms, quite possibly ever, and here they were just sitting and worrying.

James ran his hand through his already chaotic hair again. As he folded his arms across his chest, he glanced down at his watch once more.

* * *

"Regulus…" Spencer said breathlessly as she ran and smothered him in a hug. His arms caught her easily, naturally. She inhaled deeply, just the smell and feel of him enough to soothe her frazzled nerves.

"Well, hello to you too," Regulus laughed lightly as he stumbled slightly under the force of her embrace, bumping into the counter.

"What are you doing here?" Spencer asked, peering up into his face as she pulled away from his chest.

"I came to get you some chocolate cake before we met," Regulus said, tucking a stray hair behind her ear. He smiled down at her, an expression he wore only when they were alone.

"Reg," Spencer started, but she couldn't continue as her eyes began to well up with tears.

"What's wrong?" Regulus asked, concern painting his handsome face. He pulled her close once more.

"Sirius told me…" she began again. She shook her head against his chest, unable to continue as a new wave of anguish washed over her.

"What did he say to you?" Regulus asked, his features darkening even as he tenderly held out a chunk of the chocolate cake that had appeared on the counter behind him, trying to soothe her. Ire, hot and volatile coursed through his body at the mention of his meddling brother. "I'll kill him."

Spencer rapidly chewed on the chocolate and Regulus immediately reached for another piece, scared that she was teetering on the verge of hyperventilating. "He told me he saw you at the Three Broomsticks tonight," Spencer choked out between sobs.

"Yes, I figured he would mention that," Regulus said coldly, proffering the chocolate.

"And you were with other Death Eaters," Spencer continued around bites, her voice very small.

"Sweetheart, you knew I met with them occasionally," Regulus tried to soothe her, rubbing the small of her back. "They like to… keep tabs on the students who have pledged themselves to the Dark Lord."

"I know…" she trailed off. "But Sirius, he… well, he and Electra, they told..." Her hands curled into the fabric of his shirt.

"Told who, Spencer?" Regulus demanded. Spencer's incredible distress was starting to affect him. He knew his brother hated him. And the feeling was mutual. But they were brothers. He knew that Sirius would tell his friends, he had expected that. He had guessed that he would even use the information to try and convince Spencer he was no good for her, despite the fact that she already knew.

But Sirius would never tell… no, never. He would never betray family like that. "Who did he tell?" Regulus repeated, hoarsely.

"Dumbledore," Spencer breathed.

* * *

12:08 A.M.

James heaved a sigh. "Well?" he asked the room at large, exasperated.

"Well, what, Prongs?" Sirius asked, ceasing his pacing to look tensely across the room at his best friend.

"Are we going to just sit around and do nothing?" James searched all of his friends' eyes for an answer.

"And what do you propose we do, Potter?" Electra asked from her seat at the study table.

"We have to stop Spencer," James said. "We have to stop her before she does something stupid."

"Spencer's not stupid," Electra spat out as she slid off the table and began to approach James.

"Don't," Lily said warningly. "We don't have time for this. Who knows what Spencer could be doing right now?"

"She's right, Electra," Remus said gently from his seat, cutting Electra off before she could even begin her rampage. "Picking fights with each other will not correct anything."

He raised a supplicating hand. "What's done is done. We can't control what has already happened, but we can take control of what will happen. Personally, I agree with James. We need to do something. No, Spencer is not stupid," he added when Electra looked ready to go off again, "but, she is in love. And as we all know, when it comes to the people she loves, Spencer would do anything, even if it was stupid."

* * *

Regulus' heart dropped into his stomach as his arms fell away from Spencer's torso. His mind began to reel, but he could not process the information. Dumbledore knew. The headmaster knew he was a Death Eater. Though he might be an ignorant mudblood lover, Dumbledore was a powerful wizard and he would most likely destroy Regulus before allowing him to continue walking these halls as a pledged Death Eater.

Something didn't make sense to him, however. If Dumbledore knew he was a Death Eater, how come he wasn't already in handcuffs on his way to Azkaban? There was no way Dumbledore would let him get away with this.

"How long ago did he tell Dumbledore?" Regulus sagged back against the counter.

"They sent the owl over an hour ago," Spencer said around another mouthful of chocolate.

"What owl?" Regulus questioned, spinning towards her, suddenly hopeful.

"Dumbledore is at the Ministry for something. Sirius and Electra sent him an owl telling him everything and asking him to return as quickly as possible," Spencer whispered meekly. "He'll probably be back by dawn."

* * *

12:16 A.M.

Regulus' heart leapt. He had time. His mind began race with all he had to do. He had to leave, immediately. He would have to send word that he'd been found out and warn Severus and the others to be even more careful.

"I have to go," Regulus began. "I have to get out of here, the sooner the better."

"I'm going with you," Spencer said, the sapphire of her eyes burning with determination.

* * *

As he scanned his friends' faces, Sirius noticed how old they looked. Worry and exhaustion etched across all their features, making the furrows of concern stand out starkly against their smooth skin. Their slumped postures made them look haggard and frail, a state no teenager should be in.

"Alright, what do we do?" Sirius said suddenly, walking over to join the circle the other three had made.

"Well, we have to find Spencer," Lily said quickly.

"And do what?" Electra pointed out, running her slender fingers through her hair. Lily proffered her a hair band off of her wrist which Electra plucked out of her grasp with a roll of her eyes. "I don't think she's really in the mood to see any of us right now."

"Apologize," Remus suggested. "Apologize. And offer our support."

"Oh, yes, Moony," Sirius replied mockingly, "a simple 'I'm sorry' will fix everything that's happened tonight." Electra snorted derisively as she finished tying her hair back.

"It may not fix everything, Sirius," Lily said sternly, finally tearing her eyes away from the fire. "But it's a good start. And whatever happens," Lily added, pulling out her wand, "do not let Spencer leave with him."

* * *

"No," Regulus said flatly.

"I wasn't asking Regulus." Her fear and sadness seemed to have been replaced with a stubbornness that only Spencer Bensur could possess.

"And I'm telling you no. You are not coming with me. It's too dangerous," Regulus returned harshly. He couldn't believe he was hearing this. How could she think, even for a moment, that he would allow her to come with him?

"I don't care how dangerous it is," Spencer exclaimed as she quickly crossed over to Regulus and grabbed his left hand. "We can run away to Spain or Greece or Egypt or India–"

"No. No we can't, Spencer," he said, attempting to pull out of her grasp. "Don't you understand? I can never run away from this!" Surrendering to her hold, he yanked up his sleeve for emphasis, revealing the manic black skull emblazoned there.

"Yes you can." Fresh tears slipped down her cheeks as her hands found purchase in the fabric of his shirt. "You're only one person. They can't waste time looking for us. We can go and never look back. We'll change our appearance, call each other new names. Start a new life, but we'll be together."

"Spencer, they'll find us," Regulus said, grabbing her shoulders firmly with his large hands. "No matter where we go, they will find us. Africa, Australia, America. It doesn't matter! They will find us and kill us. It might not be now, it could be years, but the Dark Lord does not forget."

"I don't care." She shook her head, refusing to believe what he said.

"But I do care," Regulus' voice broke as he cupped her face gently. "I can't lose you." He pressed his lips to her forehead, rested his own there for a moment.

"You won't lose me," she reassured him, her bright eyes meeting his. He shuddered at how vulnerable he felt with her.

"I can't live without you," he said in barely a whisper, shutting his eyes at the thought of losing her because of his cohorts.

"There's only one way to manage that," she said gently. She brushed her fingers across his temple. "Run away with me." She stood on her toes, kissed him softly on the mouth.

As she pulled away from him, Regulus knew what he had to do.

"Okay," he whispered, submitting to his fate.

* * *

The idea of Spencer going on the run with his good-for-nothing brother had never occurred to Sirius, and it was enough to make him rip the castle apart brick by brick in order to prevent it from happening. Following Lily's lead, he pulled his wand out of his pocket. "How do we find her?"

"We spread out and search every square inch of this castle," James said matter-of-factly. "One of us can take the map, and rest of us will just have to manage."

"What if we run into someone?" Electra prompted.

"Lily and I can just say we're on rounds," James said. "No one's going to question the Head Boy and Girl." Lily nodded and cast a quick summoning charm, two glittering badges whizzed down the stairs and into her outstretched hand a moment later.

"Electra can take the invisibility cloak since Sirius knows the layout of the castle better." Lily suggested, taking the liberty of pinning James' badge on his chest, having already fastened her own.

"I'll stay here in case she comes back," Remus said, settling back down into his armchair.

"Sirius, take the map," James added. "You still have it?" he asked, nodding in satisfaction as Sirius pulled it out of his pocket.

"What if we can't find her?" Electra asked. "What if she's already left?"

"We'll find her," James said definitely.

"How will we know if someone else has found her?" Lily asked as she straightened her t-shirt. She pulled on a set of robes she had left on the back of the sofa to make their guise of prefects' rounds more probable. She sincerely hoped they wouldn't run into the prefects actually responsible for patrolling the castle.

"We'll do what my dad and his team used to do out on missions," James said after a moment of silence. "Conjure a patronus and send it out with a message saying you've found Spencer. Send it along to someone else until we've all got the message. Meet back here. Does everyone know what our patronesses look like?" He looked around as the others nodded their approval.

"And what if we find Spencer and she's not too keen on coming with us?" Electra asked.

"You mean what if she's with Regulus?" Sirius corrected her, his voice thick with contempt.

"Well, yeah. What if Regulus won't let us take her away?" Electra asked fervently, throwing her hands in the air.

"If you find her and she's with Regulus, call for the rest of us to come back you up. Stall, get the professors involved if you have to," James instructed. "The only thing that matters is making sure Spencer stays safe," he added firmly.

"Anything else?" Sirius said dryly, snatching the cloak up and tossing it to Electra.

"Yes," Electra quipped catching the fluid material easily. "If I'm going to be running all over I want a pair of trainers. Give me two seconds to change." She turned and dashed up the staircase to the girl's dorm.

"I should get some trainer's too," Sirius muttered, dashing up the stairs.

Lily planted a quick, reassuring peck on James' cheek before dashing out of the portrait hole.

"I don't have a good feeling about this, Remus," James said solemnly as he locked eyes with his quiet friend.

"Neither do I, James," Remus said, his voice practically a whisper. "Neither do I."

* * *

"I'll meet you back here at 2:00," Spencer confirmed the time they had decided on for their departure.

They would run as fast and as far as they could. First, to Paris and then to Venice, on to Athens and Istanbul. The world was their home. They were runaways now, a fugitive and a wizarding school drop-out. A Death Eater and pure-blood, on the run from the evilest of evil and from everyone they loved.

But, they would be together. That was the only thing that mattered to Spencer. She kissed Regulus firmly on the lips before she turned swiftly and hurried back to her room to pack up her entire life into a small duffle. Her hopes were high as she allowed the painting of fruit to swing closed behind her.

From his position leaning against the counter, Regulus watched the love of his life leave him for what he knew would be the last time. There was no way in hell he would allow Spencer to throw away her entire life because of his decisions. This was his mess to clean up and he could not bear the thought of Spencer becoming endangered because of him.

He looked at the pure pearl face on his sterling silver wristwatch. 12:41 A.M.

He had just over an hour to alert headquarters that he'd been caught, grab his cloak and necessary items the Dark Lord would not want others finding from his dormitory, and make it to an apparition point before Spencer had the chance to stop him.

His chest clenched painfully in protest as he tried to motivate his feet to execute his plans. He would never feel the silk of her chestnut hair slide through his fingers. Nor would he breathe in her light vanilla scent again. Never feel her delicate, trusting hands inside his own or hear the slow thrum of her heart beat as he lay peacefully against her chest.

He cursed himself for allowing the weakness she brought upon him with her beautiful smile and endearing neuroticism.

Now was not the time to get lost in his memories of her. Now was the time to focus on what he had to do: leave Spencer and his old life behind.

He had pledged himself to the Dark Lord and his cause. He would follow through on his promise.

He hastily wiped the weariness out of his eyes and purposefully strode out into the dimly lit corridor, leaving not only the bright kitchen behind, but any hope of a future with Spencer.

* * *

Remus Lupin was well known for his thoughtfulness and quiet analysis but he had never been so lost in his own thoughts before. But of all the thoughts weighing on his mind, his concern for Spencer was by far the heaviest. She was in imminent danger and he was completely helpless to do anything but wait.

His joints creaked as he once again leaned back in the armchair he had parked himself in less than a half hour ago when the rest of his party departed for opposite ends of the castle to search for their anxiety-prone friend. Remus stayed back, hoping that if Spencer was indeed leaving, she would return to the tower to collect her things.

Just as he began to mull over the possible places within the castle he could have gone searching instead, he heard the familiar _swish_ of the portrait hole opening. He scrambled to his feet as the very brunette who had been occupying his thoughts rushed into the Common Room.

"Oh, thank Merlin, Spencer." He could not express the explosion of mingled relief and joy that had filled his body at the sight of her. He crossed the room, arms held in front of him, only to halt at the sight of the wand pointed directly at his heart.

"Stay back, Remus," Spencer said roughly. She gestured for him to move aside and Remus noted the white-knuckled hand clutching her wand was trembling.

"Spencer!" Remus' voice rose with alarm. Never in his life had he expected Spencer to turn her wand on him in a threatening manner. He knew she would still be angry at Sirius and Electra as well as engulfed in grief over the loss of Regulus, but that was assuming the young Death Eater had left without her. Still, he had never anticipated violence.

"Don't make me do it!" Spencer threatened. Though what _it_ was, she had no idea. The thought of hurting Remus was absolutely ludicrous to her, even in her heightened state of emotion.

"Do what, Spencer?" His tone was placating as he tried to distract her. "I just want to talk." Remus slid his right hand painstakingly slowly toward his robe pocket. One quick disarming spell and they'd be able to have a nice relaxed conversation.

"I- I- I don't have time to talk, Remus," Spencer stuttered, her eyes filling with tears as she began to shuffle backwards towards the girls' staircase.

"What do you mean you don't have time?" Remus asked quickly. He had to fight to keep his voice controlled, nonthreatening, despite the fact that his concern for her safety spiked at her statement. A tight ball of anxiety in his stomach was beginning to make him nauseous.

"Damn it, Remus!" Spencer's wand arm began to shake violently as her left foot hit the bottom stair. Why was she losing her resolve so quickly? She had expected to run into at least one or two of her friends before the night was over, but she had not expected such a rush of emotions to hit her when confronted with one. "It means exactly what I said!"

"What are you doing, Spencer?" His hand closed around the wand in his pocket. _Keep her talking, _Remus thought. _She said she didn't have time. Stall. Make her be too late. _His desperation got the better of him and he tried to take a few steps toward her.

"STOP!" Spencer screamed shrilly, tears beginning to escape her eyes. "Please, Remus."

"Spencer, I only want to help," Remus pleaded with her. He had not missed the slight dip of her wand hand. "That's all I have ever wanted. I don't want to see you hurting like this. But, I can't help you if I do not know what you are doing and if you don't take the time to seriously consider it."

"Please, just leave me alone," she begged him as she began ascending the stairs backwards, her wand still pinned on him.

"Spencer, you know I cannot do that," Remus stated. "I care about you too much to leave you alone when I can see you are suffering."

"I won't be much longer," she croaked quietly, but he still heard it.

"What?" His voice was sharp.

"Don't worry, Remus." Spencer's voice was soft now. He could tell her resolve was weakening. "Please, don't worry about me. Soon, I won't be your concern anymore."

With that, she disappeared up the stairwell. His mind raced as he listened to her feet pad quickly up the staircase. Maybe if he activated the charm that turned the stone stairs into a slide and caught her off guard he might be able to disarm her. However, the memory of the hunted look in her eyes when she first walked into the room stopped him in his tracks.

Spencer was at the breaking point if she was willing to turn her wand on a friend. In her willingness to go through with her plan, whatever that was, would she actually use her wand? She would at least have to get through him to exit the tower, but if her behavior turned unpredictable, he might not be able to hold her off for long without accidentally inflicting harm.

"_Expecto Patronum_," he murmured. A large, shimmery wolf-dog hybrid emerged from his wand.

"Go find James or Lily, whoever is closer," Remus instructed the animal. "Say that Spencer is back in Gryffindor Tower and I need back up. Have them tell Sirius and Electra to watch the well known exits and secret passageways in case we can't hold her here. I don't want to overwhelm her." He sincerely hoped that the others could reach Sirius before he returned to the tower, as he had to have spotted Spencer on the map by now. He figured Spencer's current anger at Electra and Sirius would blind her when listening to their logic.

The animal nodded its shaggy head curtly and then bounded out of the Common Room, leaving Remus Lupin alone, once again.

* * *

James trudged along the fifth floor corridor, contemplating how the castle just seemed colder without Lily's tiny porcelain hand in his. He stopped at a tall suit of armor standing against the wall. It turned its rusting helm down to him.

"What are you staring at?" James asked it as though he thought it would respond.

"That's what I thought." He supposed it was strange to feel victorious at the lack of response from a lifeless object but that was just the kind of night he was having. As suddenly as the surge of triumph had come, it left him.

He still had not found Spencer. Judging by the lack of silver animals coming his way, that meant none of the others had found her either. He ruffled his hair, automatically thinking of Lily. He really couldn't do much without thinking of Lily; practically everything reminded him of her. He loved everything about her. Her laugh, her eyes, her fiery hair and matching personality, the way she looked at him when he had just said something particularly inappropriate. Not to mention the way she felt pressed up against him and the perfect curve of her hips.

He shook his head fervently. He could not be thinking about _these_ things right now. He needed to find Spencer.

He rounded the corner at the end of the corridor and began ascending the stairs to the sixth floor. He turned down the hallway, realizing that it was far too bright in this part of the castle. As his eyes adjusted, he discovered that the source of light was racing toward him, growing larger as it neared.

_A patronus! _He thought excitedly. He rushed toward the animal, relieved that someone had found Spencer.

* * *

Why was she crying? This was what she wanted. She had made her decision and she was going with him, no matter what that meant. She had finally found someone who loved her, wanted her exactly the way she was. With Regulus, she would never have to watch him chase other girls, feel a piece of her heart chip away every time she realized she would only ever be second best. She loved him, with all that she had to give. She could do this, she knew she could.

She wiped away tears as she finished stuffing clothes into her small red duffle. She had just enough room left for Mr. Pufflesnuffs. She grabbed the tattered stuffed badger and set him gently on top of her clothing. Looking down at the bag she had assembled she began laughing. It was quite ridiculous to be packing Mr. Pufflesnuffs when she considered it. _Yes, _she thought, _let me bring my stuffed animal with me while I run away with my fugitive boyfriend!_

Her manic laughter ended suddenly. Her eyes had wandered over to Electra's nightstand. She stared at the picture there, and her friends smiled back at her. It had been taken the day after their first Hogsmeade trip of the year.

She remembered the day as though it were yesterday. She and Lily had woken up early and grabbed breakfast before anyone else had rolled out of bed. By the time Electra, Constantina, and the boys had joined them in the Great Hall the sun was hanging high in the sky. They had all decided to spend the brisk fall day by the lake. The boys had caused a lot of trouble splashing the girls with water and James had annoyed Lily by cheating outright and using magic during a game of muggle tag. About halfway through the day, their fellow seventh year, Amy Lawrence from Ravenclaw, came over to say hello to the girls and insisted on taking a picture of the eight friends. Sirius had slung his arms around Spencer and Electra's shoulders and gave his best roguish wink to the camera. Constantina curled up happily in Remus' lap, and Lily, glared playfully at James while he pulled her closer to him and Peter, who waved at the camera from his other side.

Here she was, nearly nine months later, and she could still recall the joy of that day in every bone in her body. Her friends deserved more than this, despite the events that had transpired between them. She checked the clock next to the picture.

1:21 A.M.

She had time to spare before she had to meet Regulus. But, it was better to play it safe and be early. She would have to be quick. She snatched a quill and a spare bit of parchment from Lily's bag and began to write hastily. It didn't take her long to figure out what to say. With a small smile, Spencer slid the parchment onto her bedside table. Then, without hesitation, she tossed Mr. Pufflesnuffs from her bag, grabbed the picture off of Electra's bedside table and set it gently on top of all her clothing. Zipping up her bag with air of finality, she left what had been her home and safe haven for the last seven years of her life.

* * *

Lily hated the dungeons, even though one of her favorite classes was held in this part of the castle. There was just something so bleak about being below ground to her. For this reason, she could not understand how anyone could stand to live there.

Due to her duties as Head Girl, she was privy to the knowledge of the location of all the house common rooms and their passwords, in case of an emergency. Professor McGonagall had been hesitant to release this information to the Head Boy, suspecting that James would abuse the privilege of knowing the location and password of the Slytherin Common Room. What McGonagall didn't know was that he had known its location and had already been abusing the information for years.

Lily was strategically hidden in the shadows right across from the stone wall which revealed the Slytherin Common Room. She figured Spencer would have to go to Regulus, or that he would at least return to his dormitory before leaving. If that was the case, she could follow him to Spencer.

Lily had thought it was a good plan, but after twenty minutes of nothing happening she was having difficulty not fidgeting. Perhaps it would be better if she searched a different area of the castle. She could not stop shaking her leg as she pulled her hair back into a haphazard ponytail to keep it out of her face. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath in order to calm her nerves, but as she did so, she heard stone grind against stone— someone was leaving the Slytherin Common room.

As if on cue, the tall, thin figure of Regulus Black emerged from the newly made hole in the wall. He strode out arrogantly, pulling the hood of his cloak up around his head. He turned his back to Lily, to make sure none of his housemates followed him, she assumed.

"What brings you to this part of the castle this late at night, Evans?" he asked curtly as he turned to face her, wand pointed directly at her heart.

Lily stiffened, dumbfounded. She had thought she was perfectly concealed in the dark and could barely grasp how he saw her let alone knew exactly where to point his wand.

"I heard you move," he answered her unspoken question. "Don't worry. I don't want to harm you." Still, he raised his eyebrows as her hand twitched toward the wand she had stowed away.

Lily did not respond to Regulus' statement, temporarily paralyzed by fear. Seeing a Death Eater point a wand at her had triggered some terrible memories from months before, memories she had hoped to forget.

"What do you want?" she asked, finally finding her voice. It upset her how weak it sounded.

"I merely wish to speak with you," he said.

"About?" Lily asked, skeptically, trying to come up with a way to reach her wand while his was still pointed dangerously at her.

"First off," Regulus began in his trademark haughty tone, "the only reason my wand is pointed at you is to keep you from doing something foolish such as stopping me from leaving. I will not cast a curse unless you attempt to draw your wand." To Lily's surprise, he seemed sincere.

"I plan to leave this castle tonight and cut my bonds from it and everyone in it. That includes Spencer," he continued, all trace of arrogance now lost. "She believes that we are running away together, but you know as well as I do, that that is impossible."

Lily's mind reeled as it absorbed this information. The gravity of the situation, and this apparent act of selflessness by Sirius' brother had rendered her speechless. She nodded, prodding him to continue.

"It is currently 1:25," Regulus said, glancing down at his watch, which even in the dim light, gleamed like a beacon. "Spencer believes we are meeting in the kitchens at 2:00. I plan to be halfway across the country by that time— without her. I need you and your incompetent friends to make use of yourselves and keep her preoccupied until I am off the premises of this awful institution, do you understand?"

"So, you're just going to leave her?" Lily clarified, an inexplicable emotion flaring within her at his words. "You know this is going to break her heart." Lily couldn't even contemplate what she would do if James left her suddenly, without so much as a goodbye.

"Better a broken heart, than dead," Regulus said flatly, and the harsh reality of his words cut through Lily like a knife.

"My fate is sealed, Lily Evans," Regulus continued nonchalantly, though a bit of emotion unwillingly escaped his dark eyes. "I refuse to allow that fate to ruin Spencer's life."

"You ruined her life long before today," Lily retorted, suddenly uncaring that she was inches away from a Death Eater's wand. She couldn't contain her sense of injustice at the unfairness of it all. "You should have just left her alone."

"I know that," Regulus bit out. It was obvious that he was becoming impatient as he consulted his watch again. "Listen, the point of the matter is that as long as I am in Spencer's life she is in danger. Imminent danger. I will not have her death on my conscious."

"Of course," Lily drawled, disgusted. "This isn't about Spencer, at all. This is about you not wanting to feel guilty."

"Will you shut up!" Regulus' voice rose dangerously. The tip of his wand was now touching the fabric of Lily's robes. "Don't speak of matters you know absolutely nothing about! Spencer means more to me than anything has in my entire life. To have to cause her suffering causes me more grief than you will ever understand. Spencer is more important than my own life or happiness."

Despite the fact that she was more than a full year older than Regulus, Lily felt like a small child standing before him, bearing the weight of emotion tumbling out of his tortured gaze. Maybe she had misjudged him a little. He may have been a despicable, hateful human being, but it was impossible to deny his love for Spencer, seeing him like this.

"Frankly, I don't give a fuck if you believe me or not." Regulus' voice was soft once more. "But you are not a stupid girl. You know she needs to be separated from me and this is, unfortunately the only way."

"That much I can agree with," she murmured quietly as Regulus fixed her with a calculating look.

"Then inform my stupid brother and your other imbecile brethren of what I have told you. Never speak of this encounter to anyone. Spencer is safest as long as thinks I betrayed her. Do you understand?" Regulus finished.

"Yes, I understand," Lily returned edgily, "you just said yourself that I'm not stupid."

"Well, you are a mudblood. It's only natural to question your intelligence every now and then," Regulus stated, his arrogant mask firmly back in place. "Now go!"

* * *

Sirius had started patrolling the castle grounds in animal form when James' stag had reached him. He figured that Spencer would try to emerge from the castle sometime, and he would catch her if the others failed.

He had rushed back into the Entrance Hall the second he had gotten Lily's patronus, pulling out the map to check Spencer's location. He did not see the expansive puddle of water that Peeves had undoubtedly left for the caretaker on the cold, stone floor, and slipped. He swore colorfully as he landed quite ungracefully on his butt.

"Well done, Sirius. Mother would be so proud." A voice, not unlike his own, echoed from the far corner of the Entrance Hall.

"Ha ha," Sirius grumbled as he got to his feet quickly and drew his wand in the same movement. "I thought you were supposed to be gone by now."

"My escort has not arrived quite yet," Regulus informed him, fixing him with a look which clearly conveyed his sentiment toward his older brother.

"Then go wait by the gate." Sirius' wand followed his younger brother as he sauntered to the center of the room.

"I do not wish to stand in wet grass and cold air," Regulus responded. He twirled his wand unconcernedly in his fingers. "I am not a wild dog."

The comment took Sirius' aback. How could he know? Had he seen?

"I watched a large black dog enter the castle and as he reached the stairs, he turned into my dimwitted older brother," Regulus explained, taking obvious delight in taunting his quick-tempered brother.

_Fuck!_ Sirius berated himself._ I knew I should have been more careful about transfiguring before coming inside._

"Don't worry, big brother," Regulus continued lazily. "I, unlike you, understand the importance of a family bond and will not tell anyone your secret."

"Fuck you," Sirius said through gritted teeth. His grip on his wand hand constricted.

"Oh, Spencer already has," Regulus instigated.

"_Stupefy_!" Sirius bellowed over the pounding of blood in his ears at the mention of his friend. All the pain and frustration welled within him until his only desire was to maim the smirking bastard in front of him.

"_Protego_." Regulus deflected the spell with ease. "Tsk, tsk, big brother," he chided. "You should really watch that temper of yours."

"You have no right to speak about her in that way!" Sirius snarled as Regulus backed up to the castle doors. Why hadn't anyone heard them? Better yet, why had no one come to cart Regulus off to Azkaban?

Regulus chuckled maliciously as he watched the color in Sirius' face spike even higher. "Is someone a bit jealous?"

"Of what?" Sirius growled. "What in the world do I have to be jealous of you for?"

"Because I realized what was right in front of me before it was too late."

* * *

"Get out of my way, Remus!" Spencer repeated for what felt like the hundredth time that night.

"No!" Remus called up to her from his position at the bottom of the girl's staircase.

"We are not letting you do this, Spencer," James interjected over Remus' shoulder. He had arrived ten minutes previously to find Remus blockading Spencer's only exit. She had so far been unwilling to do anything to remove him from it. They had been at this standoff ever since.

Once again Spencer found herself pointing her wand at Remus Lupin, but he wasn't alone this time. Not to mention that this time, Remus had his wand pointing back at her. She couldn't see James' but she was certain he was holding his own. She tugged at the strap of her bag in frustration. This was wasting time. She had to come up with a way to get past them soon.

"This is ridiculous Spencer," Remus stated.

"Are you really going to give up everything for a murderer?" James added from behind Remus. "They use people, Spencer. How do you know he wasn't just using you?"

This was apparently the wrong thing to say as the look on Spencer's face grew positively feral. "I am leaving with Regulus tonight, and no one is going to stop me." She took a step, opening her mouth to continue but was interrupted as a graceful, shimmering doe burst in between James and Remus. Lily's voice emanated from the animal. "Regulus is leaving immediately without Spencer. Must stop her from joining him."

Spencer's heart dropped into her stomach as the animal dissipated into thin air. He was leaving without her. He was going to go off with the Death Eaters and leave her broken hearted and alone.

James and Remus watched as she lowered her wand instinctively and her face began to contort into absolute pain and hurt. Her bag sagged onto the stair next to her as she took another step down.

"Spence…" James began to stride towards her to console her, lowering his wand.

"_Expelliarmus! Expelliarmus_!"

Both boys' wands flew out of their hands, soaring to the floor on the other side of the room. As they clambered to retrieve them, Spencer sprinted from the room like a bolt of lightning. Her bag lay forgotten on the stairs behind her.

* * *

Spencer had never run so fast in her entire life. Her legs were cramping up from the effort, and the air cut painfully through her lungs.

She felt none of it. Her mind was focused on only one thing: getting to Regulus. In this moment, he was everything.

She rounded a corner and slid down the banister to the third floor corridor. He would not abandon her like that. It had to be a lie. It just had to be. She ignored the sound of footfalls behind her and shoved through a tapestry down a shortcut to the marble staircase. She glanced over her shoulder to see James and Remus only a few yards behind her. She lobbed a jelly legs jinx at them, hoping to slow them down.

She scampered down the stairs, her heart leaping in her throat. Sirius was in the center of the entrance hall arguing with…

"Regulus!" she yelled as she descended the remaining stairs two at a time.

"Spencer?" Regulus croaked, visibly paling three shades.

"Merlin Fucking Grindlewald!" Sirius swore at the sight of Spencer, whose wand hand, like his brother's, was fixed on him.

Regulus looked at his brother and their eyes met. For the first time in their lives, a moment of understanding passed between them. Regulus dashed to the front doors and Sirius threw himself on Spencer, their bodies colliding with the floor. Sirius felt the cold air break over him, signaling Regulus' exit. He wrapped his arms around her tightly, refusing to let her go.

"Let! Me! Go!" she screamed into his chest which was smothering her. He heard a cackling sound which heralded the arrival of Peeves, drawn to the scene by the commotion and now raising one of his own.

"Never," Sirius muttered in Spencer's ear. He heard her say something but it was muffled by his shirt, but the next thing he knew he was flying across the Entrance Hall and slamming against a stone wall.

"Regulus," Spencer cried out, scrambling to her feet. "Please, stop! Wait for me!"

As she was about to exit the castle James and Remus finally rounded the corner and descended into the Entrance Hall.

"Where in the bloody fuck have you two been?" Sirius asked them as James helped him to his feet.

"Catching up," Remus huffed, picking up Sirius' wand from the center of the room and tossing it to him. James' eyes darted to the staircase where voices could be heard, echoing. Thank, Merlin, the staff was awake.

"Where is she? Two prefects are on my tail." Electra's voice came from the top of the stairs just as Lily raced out the entrance to the dungeons where she had been guarding the kitchen.

"Where's Spencer—Slughorn's behind me," she gasped, already running again as she followed Sirius, James and Remus into the night air as Electra trailed behind them.

Sirius couldn't believe how far away Spencer had gotten already. He called out to her, hoping against all hope he could stop her before something bad happened.

* * *

"Regulus! Please! Stop!" Spencer cried as she sprinted after him. She could hear distant screams of her name, voices telling her to stop, pleading with her. They did not matter now. Nothing did but reaching Regulus before he could exit the grounds.

"REGULUS! PLEASE STOP! PLEASE!" her voice was going hoarse, but that didn't matter, she was gaining on him. Beyond the wrought iron barrier she could see shadowy figures, the moon basking them in a white glow. She had barely recognized them for what they were, before a flash red light hit the ground where she had just been a moment before.

The Death Eaters had arrived.

"You don't want this! I know you don't!" she hollered, dodging another curse. Her cries seemed to go unnoticed by the cloaked young man in front of her.

Lily called her name, close behind her. She had always been a fast runner. Another curse flew over Spencer's head. She heard James shout her friend's name and Spencer turned in time to see James tackle Lily as they fell to the ground, narrowly avoiding another curse. She heard both retaliate with curses of their own.

"NO! Regulus screamed over his shoulder, horrified at how quickly Spencer had closed the distance between them. He pushed his pace painfully further, his legs carrying him ever closer to the gates. "I don't want you!"

"DON'T SAY THAT!" Spencer's voice sliced through the air. She could hear her name being called like a mantra from behind her; as if someone _actually_ thought calling her name could deter her. More curses flew from both sides now, as others from the castle joined the fight.

"SPENCER! STOP! GODDAMN IT!" Sirius bellowed as he thundered behind her.

"Regulus, please! You can't do this to me!" Spencer cried. There were more voices behind her now. Voices she knew, but didn't have the time to comprehend.

"REGULUS!" Her lungs were seared with the exertion of the chase and her constant cries. Her sweaty palm gripped her wand tighter as she raised it to protect herself. She wasn't quick enough to deflect a curse that narrowly missed her ear. Ahead of her, Regulus was throwing curses haphazardly over his shoulder to slow her down as he stumbled across the lawn. She knew he had missed her on purpose, but next time, she was not sure she would be so lucky.

Sirius' body was moving as fast as he could make it go, but it wasn't fast enough. He saw, almost in slow motion, his brother raise his wand again as he prepared to strike the only person who had ever loved him. Sirius was screaming her name again, desperately trying to get her safely back into the castle.

Regulus flicked his gaze to his older brother as he skidded to a halt behind Spencer. The two had never had much in common, but tonight, Sirius saw reflected in his brother's eyes, the love they both felt for the girl suspended in between them.

His eyes still locked with Sirius', Regulus raised his wand again, pointing it at Spencer's heart—

"_Expelliarmus_!"

"No-" Sirius roared, hardly comprehending that all Regulus had done was disarm Spencer.

Her wand soared through the air, landing with a soft thud like a heartbeat on the dew-flecked grass yards away. Spencer's eyes widened in shock as her tortured mind grasped the fact that Regulus had not hurt her and that she was now totally defenseless.

Sirius surged forward to place himself in between his friend and his brother's wand. But Spencer, knowing the danger and not caring, scrambled forward. Her feet slipped on the slick grass as she reached out to Regulus imploringly. Her hand grasped the sleeve of his robe and, with strength belying her slender frame, she yanked him closer to her.

"Regulus," she whispered, drawing his face close to hers. His wand arm fell forgotten to his side as he stared at her. Scenes from a future he had imagined only in the safety of his bed during the early hours between sleeping and waking danced across the surface of her azure eyes... _Spencer and him in a gated park, the sunlight running over the silken strands of her chestnut hair as she leant her cheek softly on his shoulder..._

He had no future. He realized that with stark clarity as she desperately drew his face towards hers, encased it in those small hands.

"Please, Reg, I love you," she breathed. The words he had never heard uttered from anyone else caressed his cheek, sealing the choice he had already made.

"Spencer," Sirius croaked behind the couple. Fear blazed within him seeing Spencer, defenseless and entwined with his armed brother. He did not dare to move, as it might prod the seemingly torn Regulus into action.

"Reg," Spencer whispered again, her hand tracing his cheek. "Come back with me," she pleaded, her lips almost against his.

"No," Regulus choked, shoving her away from him with bruising force. She stumbled and Sirius darted forward, gripping her arms tightly.

"Give it up, Spence," Sirius said, attempting to tug the sobbing girl back toward the safety of the castle.

"Never," she screamed as she struggled against him, watching horrorstruck as Regulus wrenched open the iron gates. He turned, halfway between the security of Hogwarts and the danger of the life he had chosen for himself. "I love you!" Spencer repeated and this time, bound by Sirius, her fingers barely brushed Regulus' wrist.

"NO!" Regulus screamed wildly, slapping her hand away from his arm while Sirius fought to maintain his grip. Regulus looked Spencer in the eye and the weight of what she saw there stopped her cold.

"I'm not Sirius," he said, his voice barely above a whisper but the words echoed more horribly than Spencer's cries had in the stillness. "And neither one of us will ever love you." Regulus turned on his heel and swept out of the gate, ignoring the throat-rendering scream that echoed behind him.

"Finally," said one of the masked Death Eaters, who had been forced to hold his spells in case they hit his fellow. "Stupid girl."

Regulus saw the Death Eater raise his wand over his shoulder, saw him bring it down in a slashing arc. He saw the flash of bright light and the blood as it flew from Spencer, her chest erupting with the force of the curse, unable to scream as an invisible knife severed a lung.

"Come, Regulus," the Death Eater said coldly. He gripped his arm tightly and carried Regulus away into the darkness of the night.

Sirius staggered under Spencer's sudden weight, crying out in horror as blood soaked her once snow white shirt. His face and hands were covered in it and, though his grasp slipped slightly, he refused to let her go.

He had never felt anything like this in his entire life. It was as if his mind shut down completely. He couldn't think, he couldn't breathe. He was getting tunnel vision. His legs were about to give out from underneath him. The only thing he could comprehend was that he was covered in blood, Spencer's blood.

He lowered himself and Spencer's frame to the ground. He cradled her to his chest, trying to force his will to live into her.

"Spencer," he murmured, staring at her scarlet-streaked face. _It couldn't end like this..._ "Hold on, help will be here in a minute." But he realized as he gazed down into the blue eyes that had always held such understanding, that she knew just as well as he did, that any help would be far too late.

"Sirius," James panted as he slid to a halt behind him, Remus on his right.

"No," Remus said, shaking his head in disbelief as he took in the mutilated form of his friend.

"Help...we need help," James stated frantically, staring around at the silhouettes peppering the lawn—professors healing injured prefects and fellow faculty members. A few were heading for the gates, checking the perimeter. Why wasn't anyone coming?

"James," Lily's voice sounded behind them. "Where's Spencer?" Lily stopped right beside him, looking up at him expectantly. Instinctively, James pulled her into him, forcing her head into his chest.

"Don't look," he whispered harshly, feeling Lily freeze in his arms. It was only then that she heard the rasping breaths from directly behind James, and the unmistakable sound of sobbing.

"Lily!" she heard Electra say some distance to her right, but the cry was soon silenced and she could hear Remus murmuring something. Lily could only assume that Electra, too, had been shielded in his embrace.

"No." Sirius shook his head. Tears rolled down his face, creating small spots of white on Spencer's bloodied cheek. "Who's going to take me seriously now?"

Spencer gave a weak chuckle that turned quickly into a gurgling cough as blood flooded her undamaged lung. "Siri," she rasped, bringing one hand up in an agonizing movement to touch his tear-stained cheek.

"Spence, you shouldn't be talking. You can talk all you want in the hospital wing...I'll bring you cake," he said, nearly hysterical.

"I...love...you." She shuddered, blinking slowly up at him. Sirius could not tell whether she was speaking to him or his brother. Her breath hitched, agony searing across her torn body. Sirius did the only thing he could think of to comfort her, and gently pressed his lips to hers.

She returned the kiss with a fervor that surprised him and he attempted to pour into her every little emotion he had ever felt for the girl who had been his friend for so many years, who had understood him in a single conversation.

Her lips stilled against his. Sirius knew that when he looked down into her face once more, the light would have left those beautiful blue eyes.

* * *

A/N: Encourage us to post chapter twenty (which is currently in the editing-room) sooner by hitting the little purple button and telling us what you thought!


	20. Nothing Left to Say but Goodbye

**Points in the Right Direction  
**

**Chapter 20:  
Nothing Left to Say but Goodbye**

Lily stared out of the latticed window into the brilliant blue sky of the early spring morning. It was Saturday.

Usually on Saturday, the girls would sleep in. An early riser, Lily was up well before the other two. She would read quietly, curled up on the window seat in their tower dorm, content to continue the tradition she had started with her father years before. When Spencer and Electra finally managed to pry themselves from the warm cocoon of their beds, they would have a late brunch before spending the afternoon doing homework and lazing around on the squishy grass by the lake. Lily would rant about James, Electra about Sirius, and Spencer would regale them with the latest gossip she had overheard when she should have been paying greater attention in Arithmancy or "Squiggles 101" as Spencer had nicknamed it.

But this Saturday was different. It wasn't that Lily no longer ranted about James, or that Electra's rants were a little less vehement when it came to Sirius. It was the fact that Spencer would never have to sit through another dull lesson full of incomprehensible squiggles because she was no longer alive. Spencer had been dead for six days. Madame Pomfrey had insisted on a day to try to patch Spencer's torn body up as best she could, and magic had been employed to preserve the remains until arrangements could be made for a proper burial. No one, least of all Spencer's parents, had planned for this. But time had run out and Spencer's funeral could no longer be delayed.

It was the reason Lily was wearing a set of ill-fitting black dress robes that she had borrowed from Electra. It was also why she was sitting in the alcove that had been Spencer's secret place, staring out at the sky that seemed to mock the still raw tragedy. Lily violently wished it would rain.

"There you are," a familiar voice remarked softly. She heard the tell-tale rustling of parchment that indicated James had used the map to find her. "It's almost time to go," he added miserably as he sat down next to her.

"Sorry," Lily murmured. "I just needed some time to think." She blinked back tears as a fresh wave of grief rolled over her. She shook her head, her unusually ruffled hair twitching with the movement.

"It's okay," he said awkwardly, not really sure why she was apologizing. He didn't really know how to handle a grieving Lily, let alone his own sense of fury and loss. He was scared that she would go back to being a mere shell of herself like she had when her parents died.

"Do you ever wonder if you could be a better friend, James?" Lily asked suddenly, her face staring out of the window. James' eyes raked the line of tension in her jaw and wondered what she could possibly be thinking. "I do, I am," she continued without waiting for an answer. "Maybe if I hadn't been so selfishly wrapped up in myself, Spencer she…might never have fallen for _him._ I don't know." She furiously wiped a tear from under her eyes. "Maybe if we were faster, maybe we could have caught her before…"

James slid his palm across her cheek, turning her face toward his as a strange and ridiculous thought occurred to him. Lily blamed herself for Spencer's death.

"It's not your fault," James said with a conviction he truly felt. In his mind, they all held some of the blame for Spencer's life, but the one who held the most of it was undoubtedly Regulus Black.

"I'm a horrible person James," Lily whispered as James pulled her against him, his head silently shaking his denial against her hair. "Yes, I am," she stated with fervor, her small hands fisting in the fabric of his robes. "That night, when we were trying to catch her, and the curses were flying everywhere, a part of me was glad, it still is," she corrected, "that if one of us had to get hit…it wasn't you."

James couldn't hold back a little morose laugh. "Then I'm just as horrible as you are," he said gently, pressing his lips to her forehead. "I don't think Spencer would have held it against us." His voice wavered slightly as he remembered the way Spencer had looked as she gazed up at Sirius, covered in blood and her own organs, smiling. "I think she would have been very glad that Sirius was safe…" He trailed off, not knowing what else to say.

With her head rested in the crook of his neck, James could feel Lily's eyelashes dance across his skin as she tried to rein in tears. "We had better go," he muttered, unwilling to take Lily to an event that would cause her more pain.

"Alright," she whispered. James was glad that Lily maintained the tight grip she had on his hand as they left what had been Spencer's secret place, both for her benefit, and for his.

* * *

"This just shouldn't be allowed," Electra whispered clutching Lily's hand tighter in her own. She regretted the words almost immediately as she felt Sirius stiffen behind her. Lily shook her head, unable or unwilling to articulate her grief, watching as they levitated the polished mahogany coffin into the freshly turned earth.

Electra wrapped her arms around her petite best friend, drawing her under her chin. Hands and arms, no doubt belonging to the three boys, tangled around them. It was almost as if they thought they could hold each other together physically so they didn't fall to pieces completely in front of Spencer's close family and the few Hogwarts staff members who had escorted them to the Bensur family estate where Spencer was being…laid to rest.

Lily closed her eyes, unable to watch Spencer's mother throw the first handful of dirt onto the coffin. Just the sound was horrible enough to wrench a fresh set of sobs from her already raw throat. She could feel Electra's tears mingle with hers, feel Sirius' dampen her temple, James' chin on her head. And even though Spencer's closest friends were present, Lily could not help but feel that two people who should have been there weren't.

They had written Constantina a shaky, tearstained letter two days ago and had received no response. And Lily, without the consent of anyone had written Regulus Black. Lily wasn't sure what had possessed her, but the image of Regulus throwing his body protectively in front of Spencer that one night she had walked in on them in the Room of Requirement kept creeping into her head. She had wanted him to come so she could hex the shit of out him. She had wanted him to come because she believed that Spencer loved him as much as she could have, and that he returned it.

Lily wondered how she had missed it before, how much in love with Sirius her friend had been. She had always known she had a crush on him, but she felt stupid now for not noticing. For not helping, for not doing something that would have stopped her from pursuing that bastard.

Lily took a deep breath as James nudged her forward. She watched almost in a trance as Professor McGonagall threw a handful of dirt onto the coffin in front of her before filing out after the rest of the mourners. Then it was her turn.

What kind of ritual was this? What kind of parting gift was a handful of dirt to a person who had touched your life, validated your existence, shared your dreams, and wrapped her arms around you for no reason more than the fact that you were friends? Lily's hand was shaking so badly, that she could not curl her fingers around the cakey substance.

Then a hand, calloused, tan, and shaking almost as badly, wrapped around her tiny fingers. Sirius. Another hand, scratched and paler wound around his, followed by another just as large, Remus and James. Finally, a smaller, long-fingered palm was placed on top. Together, they threw the small handful of brown earth, the color of Spencer's hair, onto her coffin.

It was fitting, Lily thought. They had lived like a family, and now they mourned like one.

* * *

"I felt rude not staying," Lily said softly as they walked back up the long winding road that lead to the school's entrance.

"It wasn't our decision to make," Remus replied soothingly, "Our escorts had places to be." He gestured toward the gate where, just a moment ago, Professors McGonagall and Flitwick had apparated away once seeing them safely past the boundaries of the gates.

"Order business, most likely," James said blithely, running an agitated hand through his hair. "I bet there's a meeting tonight, by the looks of it."

"What?" Lily asked distractedly, blinking up at James.

"The Order of the Phoenix," he replied, adjusting his glasses nervously. His voice was slightly higher than it had been a few moments ago. As if he had said something he was not supposed to.

"What does it do?" Lily latched onto the chance to think of something other than her sweet, dead friend lying in the cold ground.

"James," Sirius said sharply. Lily watched as the three boys shared a look between them. She wondered what they were hiding, but decided that tonight, of all nights, was not a good time to go nagging. Electra, apparently, had come to the same conclusion.

"Not now," Electra interjected, removing pins from her hair and sticking them in her cloak pocket. "I don't want to talk about the war, or fighting, or death," her voice caught on the word but she shook her hair out behind her, dismissively. "I just want to get completely drunk and think about the good times."

"I think that can be arranged," James smiled morosely as he pushed open the Entrance Hall doors. Someone must have sent a message ahead that they were coming.

"I have to get out of these damn shoes," Electra sighed, more to fill the pressing silence of the Entrance Hall. It was oddly empty for a late Saturday afternoon.

Sirius tugged on his tie savagely, loosening the knot. "I'll make the kitchen run," he volunteered in a hoarse voice.

"What do you need from the kitchens?" James asked. He threaded his fingers with Lily's as they traipsed up the marble staircase. "Mum sent us enough comfort food to last for the rest of the semester." Unable to console her boys in person, Mrs. Potter had done what she believed any mother of teenage boys would do and sent a care package so large that it had taken five owls to carry it and contained enough candy and homemade treats to outlast a small siege.

"I need cake," Sirius croaked. "She'd want that…she'd want…" His voice broke and Lily knew he was trying not to cry and the sight made her own tears spill over fresh.

Remus clapped Sirius on the shoulder. "I'll go with you," he said bracingly, always the support of their little band. "We'll make sure it's chocolate."

* * *

"Lily," James grabbed her arms as she turned to follow Electra through the portrait hole. There was an awkward moment when Lily glanced at her friend, unsure exactly what James wanted but unwilling to leave Electra alone to brood after a day like this one.

"I'll see you upstairs, Lils." Electra turned and hobbled off through the students spending their Saturday evening milling about the Common Room.

Lily eyed James as he led her away from the tower entrance and into a small alcove a few feet away. He raked his hand through his hair and for once Lily didn't stop him. She couldn't seem to find the energy to move her limbs much at the moment.

"Are you alright?" she asked after a second of watching her haggard reflection glint off his glasses in the pale light. James' hand squeezed hers tightly.

"You mean besides the obvious," he grimaced. "Yeah."

She looked up at him expectantly, her brain registering for the first time how significant the height difference between them was. "You'll…Will you promise me something?"

"What?" she proceeded warily.

"Stay with me." Lily blinked in surprise.

"I'm here, aren't I?" She wrapped her arms around his waist, tucking herself under his chin. She felt a slight weight as James rested his head on hers.

"No, I mean…" he faltered, looking for the right words. "I mean we'll get through this together. Promise it won't be like…like your parents."

Lily couldn't prevent the tears from springing to her eyes as the pain of that yet unhealed grief ran together with the raw heartache of Spencer's death. But James' words were like a bandage that held the wound closed for a little while, until it was ready to heal.

If anyone had told her a year ago that she would seek out James Potter as her primary source of comfort in the wake of her best friend's death, she would have laughed at the absurdity of it. But everything had changed, and in the midst of it, her heart had too. Lily raised herself up on her tiptoes, kissed his tense jaw lightly, and gave him her promise.

James wrapped his fingers around hers, looking just as exhausted, but more at ease. As they made their way back to the Common Room, Lily seized the opportunity she wasn't sure she would have that night. "James, what exactly is this Order Sirius was talking about?"

James froze midstride. His expression twisted for a moment into an emotion that Lily wasn't quite sure she could name.

"Not tonight," James said tightly. He refused to contemplate Lily's reaction or potential desired involvement in Dumbledore's project.

"Tomorrow then?" Lily prompted.

"Tomorrow," he repeated, sincerely hoping that she would forget.

* * *

"To Spencer!" The shout echoed in the seventh year boys' dormitory. It was at least the eighth or ninth time the cheer had been raised, Lily couldn't be certain. She'd lost track after she'd downed the seventh glass of Ogden's in Spencer's memory. Lily knocked the glass back and clinked it with Sirius', who was already refilling the mug with some of Rosmerta's infamous mulled mead. Remus, ever the gentleman, leaned across Electra to offer her and James another enormous piece of cake.

Their small quintet had wasted little time ditching their stiff dress robes for sweats and pajamas before reconvening in the boys' room. Gathered around more alcohol than Lily had ever seen in one location, in addition to the two gigantic chocolate masterpieces that Sirius and Remus had procured from the kitchen, they proceeded to grieve and celebrate Spencer's life the only way they knew how. By getting incredibly sloshed.

"Mmm," Lily moaned in delight as she took a bite of her third slice of cake. She giggled, almost snorting into her mead. "This goes great with chocolate."

"Everything goes great with chocolate!" Electra declared, brandishing her fork haphazardly above her head. "Spencer should be declared smartest witch of her age for knowing the value chocolate cake!"

"I'll drink to that," Remus declared, raising his glass in a much more dignified manner than his compatriots managed. "To Spencer!" he said quietly. The other four echoed the sentiment, finishing off another round of drinks.

Sirius, whose hand was rather unsteady at this point, began refilling everyone's glasses. He ended up spilling liberal amounts of the libations on the carpet. Electra picked up her glass and took a wobbling swig before toppling over into Remus' lap. "Sorry." She began to pick up the overturned glass but collapsed back into Remus with a moan. "I think I've had a lot to drink," she proclaimed to accompanying laughter. "And your lap is _really_ comfortable," she stared up at him with a friendly smile.

"Thank you," Remus returned politely, his slightly slurred speech the only indication of how much alcohol he had consumed. "And you're hair is incredibly soft." To demonstrate his point, he ran his fingers through a few strands.

"Hey now," Sirius protested, grabbing Electra's arm and tugging her off of Remus. "You lie on my lap."

Electra blinked up at Sirius for a moment. "I suppose I could," she returned thoughtfully, "your lap is rather comfortable too." A few Spencer anecdotes later and Electra was sound asleep. Sirius shifted her carefully off of his lap and settled her comfortably into the nest of blankets and pillows they had somehow created during the night.

He flopped down next to her, turning to face his friends once more. He tried to prop himself up on his elbow but ended up missing and smacking himself in the face. This prompted Remus to burst into drunken laughter at his attempt.

"Think that's funny, do you?" Sirius hissed menacingly before lashing out with a foot that accidentally collided with Remus' face.

Remus let out an inarticulate sound of pain, clutching his already crimson cheek. "Merlin, Padfoot," James chided, scurrying oddly over the pile of blankets to reach his friend. Too short to see over James' head when sitting, Lily used his shoulders to pull herself up to kneel behind him. She wrapped her arms around his neck to stabilize herself while she stared critically at the cheek Remus cradled.

"That's going to be one ugly bruise tomorrow," she informed the quietest Marauder with a smile. "Want me to do a healing charm?"

"No," James interrupted, the most coherent of the lot. "You might do more harm than good in your current…predicament." Lily swatted his chest in protest.

"I'm good at healing charms," she sniffed, sitting back on her heels dejectedly. James scooted around awkwardly to face her.

"I know. You're good at all sorts of charms. Healing charms, cleaning charms…charming me." He pressed a sloppy kiss to the side of her mouth as she let out another feminine giggle.

"You say really stupid things when you're drunk, don't you?" Lily ruffled his hair playfully. She squealed when he scooped her up.

"Always has," Remus replied with a grimace. The grimace was caused by Sirius who had managed to bring himself into a sitting position once more. He was now examining the brilliantly colored bruise beginning to paint his friend's pale cheek.

"I'm sorry, Moony," Sirius said, picking up one of the bottles Lily had put a cooling charm on earlier and pressing it to his friend's face. "Next time though, you should try to keep your face away from my foot."

"Duly noted," Remus replied. Lily marveled at how easily the male gender forgave, as she watched the two friends grin toothily at each other like puppies meeting in the park for the first time.

Sirius lifted up the edge of the bottle and whistled at the lovely shade of magenta beneath. "Wow, you look like Lily after she fell out of the fireplace over Christmas."

"Thanks Sirius," Lily said scathingly from her perch in James' arms.

"Speaking of Christmas…" Sirius glanced at Remus and James and the three of them stiffened as if in suspense.

"What?" Lily asked, glancing between the three of them. Sirius had turned so that he was sitting cross-legged while facing her, still holding the bottle up to Remus' face with one hand. Lily suddenly felt like a kindergarten teacher about to engage in story time.

"Well," James began after a moment, "we've always wondered where they took you exactly." He shrugged, an awkward gesture, as his arms were still wound around Lily.

"And with your parents' loss we didn't think it was the appropriate time to ask," Remus stumbled a little over the words.

"And since you've plied me all night with alcohol that makes now appropriate?" Lily demanded.

"Of course," Sirius replied. "Alcohol makes everything appropriate. Isn't that right, Moony?" Remus nodded his approval of the statement, stopping abruptly when the movement agitated his cheek.

Lily paused, biting her lip. She hadn't spoken to anyone about that night, and thankfully James' hadn't been there when she had nightmares. She hadn't wanted to rile the boys up over something that was already past and…she had wanted to keep Severus' involvement to herself. Yet, in the midst of her alcoholic induced haze and her boys' hopeful expressions, it seemed to Lily that it would be an excellent idea to get the whole tale off her chest.

Lily wriggled off of James lap after a moment and motioned wildly for them to come closer. "I'm going to need another round for this one," she said matter-of-factly. Remus promptly proffered her the bottle he'd been using for ice.

"Hold my hand," she ordered James. Once his digits were intertwined with hers, Lily leant forward and began her tale.

* * *

Lily leant against the doorway of the bathroom, uncaring that her hair was dripping torrents onto the floor. She'd managed to pry herself and Electra off of the floor of the boys' dormitory that morning, nursing the world's worst hangover. Not that she had much familiarity when it came to hangovers, but from the look on Electra's face she guessed her more experienced friend agreed.

Lily felt better after her shower and three large glasses of water, but she could really use a hangover charm. Of course, it had to be the one charm she hadn't bothered to learn. She figured breakfast might help, not that she felt too keen on eating anything at the moment.

Once the pounding in her head dulled a little, she managed to move into her room and pull on some jeans and an old battered jumper. She realized with a start that it was Spencer's old English National Quidditch Team jersey and wondered why the house elves had put it in her pile of laundry.

"It's yours now because you borrowed it so much," Electra said from where she sat on her bed, leaning against the headboard. Her long dark hair was still damp from her own shower. Lily's eyes travelled to the pair of multicolored wedge sandals that sat on the foot of her bed. They had been one of Spencer's favorite pairs of shoes.

"Before she left, she wrote a sort of will bequeathing all her remaining objects. I guess they found it last night. Looks like it's already in effect."

Lily swallowed back the tears that rose again as she met with reality once more. She took the piece of paper Electra proffered, her eyes scanning its contents. Spencer had given her all the articles of clothing that Lily had borrowed frequently over the years, including the jumper she was currently wearing. She'd given Electra all of the shoes she had ever expressed envy over. She'd split her romance novels between them, as well as some of her jewelry. And…at the very bottom of the parchment Spencer had written, _To James and Lily I bequeath Mr. Pufflesnuffs._ It was followed by two words. _For Harry_.

Lily wiped her eyes with the sleeve of the jumper, noticing with a pang that it smelled slightly of chocolate. "Who's Harry?" She turned toward Electra who shrugged.

"Ask James," Electra shrugged, sliding to the edge of the bed. She stared at the bed next to hers, empty and perfectly made. Lily followed her gaze. Spencer's priceless stuffed badger no longer sat faithfully near her pillow. She supposed it was among the pile of other items on her bed, but didn't have the heart to turn around and look at the moment.

Lily went and sat down next to Electra. The taller girl wrapped her fingers around Lily's. "It's just hard to believe," Electra said.

"Yeah," Lilly croaked. She squeezed her friend's hand tightly.

"Lils," Electra began, turning to look at her remaining best friend but she was interrupted by a sudden, insistent tapping at the window.

Startled, both girls turned to find a large tawny owl blinking at them from behind the glass. It rapped its beak on the window once more and Lily scurried to let it in. The owl dropped a folded piece of parchment into her palm before taking off toward the Owlery.

She examined the thick wax seal, the color of a strong wine, covered in a language she had never seen. Lily tore it open at Electra's urging and began to read. Her eyes widened in surprise.

_Dear Lily,_

_I hope that this letter finds you in good health. I am sorry to hear the news of Spencer's passing. I will look back on the memories of our friendship with fondness. I regret that I will be unable to attend her funeral as it is unsafe for me to travel right now due to the circumstances in England. My husband won't hear of it. I also cannot travel in my condition. _

_I am pregnant, Lily! I am expecting a boy that we shall name Vicktor, after my husband's father. It is a family tradition. I hope that you can find the happiness that I have found here in Bulgaria, a loving husband and a child in a place mostly sheltered from the war. Stay out of the war, Lily. You will not do any good. _

_Give my best to James, Electra, and Sirius. Perhaps one day, when this affair is over, we will see each other again. Until then, please do not write again. I cannot put my family at risk for scrutiny by receiving English owls. _

_Sincerely,_

_Constantina Krum_

Lily stared at the parchment, the ache in her head increasing by the moment. "What a bitch," Electra snarled after a moment. Lily hadn't noticed she was reading over her shoulder. "Spencer just…and she's gloating about her life."

"Stay out of the war," Lily murmured. "Too bad we're already in it."

"Come on, let's go find the boys. Remus has to know a hangover charm after living with the other two all these years." Lily nodded and followed her friends out of the room.

* * *

"What a bint." James loaded some kippers on his plate with one hand while handing Constantina's letter to Remus. "Sirius was right when he said you were better off shod of her."

"I bet the baby's going to be hideous," Electra sighed with relish. "Maybe he'll be hump-backed or pigeon-toed."

"Where is Sirius?" Lily asked, as she poured herself a strong cup of tea to go with her lunch. After Remus' successful hangover charm, Lily felt rather ravenous.

"He's not handling…the situation very well," Remus said delicately, folding up the letter and handing it to Lily.

"It didn't help when Spencer's Hufflepuff and Ptolmey cards ended up on Sirius' bedside table this morning. They were the only ones she refused to trade because she didn't have duplicates." James bit into his kipper with a mournful expression. "I think he finally realized…Well, he left the dorm right after and has been wandering the grounds ever since. We've been watching him on the map just to make sure he doesn't do anything stupid."

"James," Lily began, worried about the wildest Marauder.

He kissed her forehead in a placating manner, reading the concern in her expression. "Don't worry. If he hasn't come back in an hour or two, I'll go after him." Lily nodded, taking a bite of her sandwich.

"James, who's Harry?" Lily asked when she could no longer stand the contemplative silence that fell over the group.

"No idea," James said, glancing at Remus. "Do we know a Harry?"

"No, but we knew a Peter who's currently in the dungeons. What's he doing there I wonder?" Remus continued to survey the map. James turned to Lily and shrugged noncommittally.

"What's this Harry bloke got to do with anything? Are you seeing him behind my back?" he demanded, making his first sober stab of humor in the last several days. Lily smiled fleetingly and handed James the other piece of parchment she had placed in her jeans pocket.

"Oh. Wow." James folded the paper and pressed it into Lily's palm. He took a sip of pumpkin juice, avoiding Lily's persistent gaze.

His hand snaked its way toward his hair and Lily caught it forcefully. "James. Who is Harry?"

His gaze softened as he looked at her, his cheeks flushing. "Spencer, she made me promise once, that if we ever…you know, had a kid, that we'd name him something normal. She fancied the name Harry."

Lily released his hand and turned quickly back to her sandwich, her cheeks matching her hair. It was embarrassing to think that her friend had already been planning their future when Lily wasn't even sure they'd been dating long enough to even consider the possibility of marriage. It was also embarrassing that the vision of the two of them holding a little son didn't bother her at all. Although the images of said son being created were _not_ appropriate lunchtime thoughts.

"A little ahead of things, wasn't she?" Lily managed to choke out.

Electra snorted into her goblet of pumpkin juice. "Please, Spencer may not have been head girl, but she certainly wasn't stupid. Honestly, you two are so blind. I'm going to go for a fly, see you later." She pushed away from the table, and Lily would have stopped her but she heard the sudden strain in her friend's voice. God, this hurt.

"I don't think Sirius is the only one having trouble," James said, watching Electra's hair fan out in her wake.

Remus took a sip of his own tea. "We all have different ways of coping, Prongs," he said softly. "Last night helped take the edge off, but maybe they need to grieve alone." He returned his eyes to the map, frowning at what he saw.

"Well, Sirius has been alone long enough, I reckon," James said, rising to his feet. Will you be alright?" He glanced down at Lily, concern overcoming his previous embarrassment.

"I think I'm going to go bury myself in homework and try not to think for a while. Care to join me, Remus?"

The sandy-haired boy nodded tapping the map and whispering the spell to clear it. "I'll join you in a few minutes," he told Lily before addressing James. "Sirius is by the lake."

"I'll be in the library," Lily informed them both, brushing crumbs off of Spencer's old sweater. She stood on tiptoe to press a kiss to his cheek, using the proximity to whisper in his ear. "And tonight on rounds, you're going to tell me about this Order."

James met Remus' eye over Lily's shoulder and wondered if he had been able to overhear. But the look in his friend's amber eyes conveyed everything James felt. They absolutely could not lose another one of their girls to the fight.

* * *

James heard the angry splash of a large stone hitting the water before he rounded the base of the large oak that Sirius had squirreled himself behind. He was skipping stones into the lake, though James thought it was more like chucking them savagely into the inky water.

James sat down next to him. Sirius said nothing. He just catapulted his last stone and sagged against the rough bark of the tree.

James proffered Sirius a bundled up white napkin. "What is that?" Sirius asked after glancing at it.

"A sandwich," James replied evenly. "You didn't come to lunch."

"I'm not hungry," Sirius scowled at his friend from underneath his onyx fringe.

"Eat it for Moony," James returned, not phased by his friend's attitude. He knew it wasn't directed at him personally. "The full moon's coming up," James explained when Sirius only continued to glare at him. "You can't transform if you're starving."

Sirius made no move to take the food. "She loved bacon sandwiches," he said after a moment. James set the napkin on his friend's lap.

"Spencer would have told you to take care of yourself." He shifted his glasses up his nose, staring out to where the vivid green of the Forbidden Forest contrasted with the steely gray of the sky.

"Well she's not here to tell me that, is she?" Sirius said bitterly. He picked up the sandwich and flung it into the water. The boys watched as a tentacle came up to ensnare a soggy piece of bacon.

James didn't know what to say to this so he remained silent. He could practically feel his friend's rage and frustration radiating off of him and it made James' own blood boil. Sirius had had enough shit to deal with before having his brother rob them all of a friend.

"We used to sit here before you even knew we were friends. It's where I met her, first year. She was surrounded by chocolate frogs and had that stupid badger. Her parents had just responded to the news that she was a Gryffindor. Once I told her how my dear mother reacted, she decided a little disappointment wasn't so bad." Sirius laughed humorlessly. "She gave me a chocolate frog. 'Chocolate helps everything,' she said. She traded me her new Dumbledore card for Agrippa but she wouldn't give up Hufflepuff."

There was a long moment of silence. "What would you do if it was Lily?"

"I'd hunt the bastard down and kill him," James said without hesitation. He looked at Sirius, hating the way grief twisted his features.

"That's all I want to do," Sirius said. "I want to do it with my bare hands." He wrapped his clenched arms around his knees, hugging them into his chest.

"I know," James said and meant it, because it was all he wanted to do too. He wanted to do it because of what had happened to Spencer. And he wanted to do just because of how Regulus' careless actions had hurt his best friends and Lily.

"No, you don't," Sirius' voice was quiet, defeated. "I was such an ass. She was right in front of me the whole time and was too busy chasing her best friend to pay any attention to how she felt."

"But you've always fancied Electra," James tried to reason with his friend.

"I know. But what if…what if Electra's just an itch you have to scratch and one day…Damn it!" Sirius burst out in frustration. "I can see it now, James. I see all that we could have had. All I can think about is her, and little black-haired blue-eyed runts running around with chocolate cake."

James put his hand on Sirius' arm bracingly. "You can't blame yourself," James said firmly. "Sirius, you can't help how you feel."

Sirius' eyes met his, dark and confused.

"But I think I might have been in love with her too. I just never had a reason to face it until now." James blinked. His friend, always so devil-may-care despite his rough upbringing, seemed to change before his eyes, hardening somehow in a way he couldn't quite describe.

"I'm going after him," Sirius said after a moment. The words hung in the air like a death sentence. James couldn't tell if it was Regulus' or his brother's.

"I was sent to stop you from doing anything stupid," James said lightly after a moment.

"And you think avenging Spencer is stupid?" Sirius rounded on James, his fist clenched.

"No, because I want Regulus to get what he deserves very badly, too." James placed his hand on his friend's shoulder and stared him in the eye. "We'll find him, Padfoot. But I won't let you kill him."

Sirius' face contorted into a kind of feral snarl. "Why not? It's no more than he deserves."

"That may be true," James returned, tightening his grip. "But I can't let my best friend become a murderer, especially of his own brother. Regulus will be put on trial, get sent to Azkaban. Let him live with the memories of what he did to Spencer for as long as they keep him alive. That's what he deserves."

The two friends stared at each other for what seemed like an age before Sirius finally nodded in acquiescence.

"Moony's not going to like this," Sirius said after a moment, his eyes returning toward the lake.

"He usually doesn't like our 'half-baked plans,'" James laughed. "He'll probably just point out that we don't know where Regulus is or how to get to him."

Sirius inhaled sharply and James turned to survey his friend. "What?"

And then he realized. They knew exactly where Regulus was likely to be, knew where the entrances and exits were… because Lily had told them the night before. As long as the Death Eater's headquarters were still at the Lestranges' house all they had to do was discover where the house was actually located.

"It's probably unplottable," James breathed. "We'll never be able to find it unless you've been expressly invited."

"But Prongs, have you forgotten that I'm a member of the Ancient House of Black? I think it's time I paid a visit home."

* * *

Far across the country, Regulus Black stared into the darkness, wishing he had accepted the sleeping potion that Snape had snidely offered him earlier. He couldn't close his eyes for fear of seeing her smile…or reliving that horrible moment when the curse ripped the skin he had touched so often to shreds.

Staying awake wasn't a much better alternative, either. She might as well have been a ghost, for the way her memory kept haunting him.

"_You're taking me to the kitchens?" Spencer asked, her blue eyes twinkling in delight. They'd met several times before, by accident, but this was only the third time Regulus had asked her to meet him somewhere. It was also the first time he'd worked up the courage to hold her hand. He was grateful to the caretaker's mangy cat for providing the opportunity as he pulled her around the corner. He'd conveniently forgotten to let go and she didn't seem to mind, which was thrilling._

"_Is that okay?" Regulus asked, reaching up to tickle the pear. He guided her through the entrance, delighting as her face lit up at the display set up before her- an entire table full of chocolate. Chocolate cakes, frogs, pudding, tart, pies, and candy bars. _

"_Why all the chocolate?" She turned to him quizzically, biting her lip in the most alluring way. _

"_Because I wasn't sure how you'd react if I tried to kiss you," he responded, taking a step in, "and I wanted to be prepared." _

"_Was that an offer?" Spencer asked, her breath hitching in a concerning way. _

"_Only if you're going to take me up on it," Regulus replied, attempting to hide his nerves. Her small hand darted out and wrapped around a piece of fudge. She ate it, staring at him, her chest rising and falling rapidly. She licked the chocolate off of her fingers slowly when she was finished, all the while staring at their still linked hands. _

_She removed her hand from his only to wrap her arms around his neck and kiss him softly on the lips. He pulled her tighter, and tasted chocolate._

* * *

"_You've never played exploding snap?" she demanded a week or so later as they sat sequestered in an empty classroom. She shook her head as if the very idea of it was offensive. _

"_It's not dignified," Regulus explained his mother's logic. Spencer rolled her eyes. _

"_Well, prepare to get singed," she said gleefully, withdrawing a pack of cards from her bag. _

* * *

"_How was astronomy?" Spencer asked as he met her behind the broomshed. The light from her wand made her seem almost dreamlike. "Did you read anything in the stars?" she teased. _

"_Yeah." He pressed her up against the weathered wood. "The location of the star bearing my name is an indicator that I'll spend the evening with an amazing girl." _

_Her mouth was hot on his as she sat astride him on the plush red sofa that had appeared for them in the room. He could feel her fumbling with buttons on his shirt and his brain barely registered that they were about to head into uncharted territory. It wasn't until her small, ink-stained fingers found purchase on his skin that he forced himself to stop. _

"_Spencer," he said warningly. _

"_Why don't you ever let me see your arms, Reg?" she breathed against his cheek. Regulus buried his face in the crook of her neck. _

"_Because I'm afraid of what you'll do when you see them." Spencer didn't answer, just slowly removed the rest of his school shirt off of his shoulders. Regulus tried to wrap his arms around her, distract her, prevent her from seeing, but she captured his left wrist in hers. _

_The mark seemed to laugh at him as the embers of the fire cast flickering light over it. _

"_We still have time?" she asked. He gaped at her, amazed. _

_"As much as I can give." She nodded and captured his lips once more. _

* * *

_He watched as he led her towards the giant bed in the center of the room for the first time. Though her figure in that shirt was something to be admired, what truly stole his breath was the trust in her eyes. No one had ever looked at him like that before. _

"_Reg," Spencer said urgently, looking up at him from where she lay in his lap on the window seat of her favorite alcove. _

_He drew his eyes away from his potions book, which wasn't much of a struggle. _

"_Chocolate," she gasped, sitting up. He drew a chocolate frog out of his bag. He'd taken to carrying them around once he's started seeing Spencer. _

"_What is it?" he asked, tearing open the wrapper and handing it to her. _

"_I just realized something important," she said around a mouthful of chocolate, her breath slowing down slightly. He rubbed her back consolingly. _

"_Why did it upset you?" he asked, confused. _

"_Because it's not something I'm supposed to realize," she returned, chomping the last foot off the frog. _

"_And what was that?" Regulus asked, smiling. _

"_That I love you." His smile faded into shock, before blooming once more, bigger and brighter. No one had ever said that to him. He tried to return the sentiment, which he'd felt for weeks, but the words caught in his throat. Instead, he enveloped her in his arms, and once again tasted chocolate on her lips. _

* * *

Regulus splashed cold water on his face from the basin on his bedside table. The ripples distorted his reflection, twisting his features. He saw only a boy who destroyed all the things he loved.

For a moment his eyes seemed to glow red and snakelike.

"_The Dark Lord will change the world, Spencer," Regulus said emphatically. _

_She touched his face gently. "You don't believe that," she said in her soft, sweet voice. "You'll never really be one of them." _

"_I already am one of them," he snapped. She shook her head, mussed up hair falling to frame her face. _

"_No you're not." She placed her palm against his chest. "You still have a heart." _

Regulus buried his face in the velvet of the comforter in his small, dark room at the Lestranges'. Unable to ward off his exhaustion, he succumbed to it.

He dreamt of brown hair, blue eyes and soft hands. Of mouths and hearts, flashes of light and screams. He dreamt of blood. He dreamt of Spencer.

He dreamt, unknowing of what events her death had put into motion. Unknowing of what choices his heart was just beginning to make. Or the choice his brother had already made.

* * *

A/N: See, we promised you wouldn't have to wait that long! And reviews do encourage us to post faster. We will try to get the next chapter up as soon as we can, but as we are heading into examination time, it's unlikely that it will be posted until the end of May. But, as previously stated...reviews guilt us into working faster.


	21. Almost Everything I Wish I'd Said the La

A/N: Alright, here it is ladies and gentlemen! Chapter Twenty-One fo Points in the Right Direction! Debbie and I are once again sorry for the long delay in updating, but we can proudly announce that Chapters Twenty-Two and Twenty-Three are already being written. We hope you enjoy this latest installment and are prepared to stick with us to end. We can honestly state that we are attempting to finish this sucker before the end of September!

* * *

**Points in the Right Direction**

**Chapter 21:**  
**Almost Everything I Wish I'd Said the Last Time I Saw You**

"I cannot believe we are doing this."

"It was your idea, Padfoot." James rolled his eyes as pointed his wand at his trunk, undoing the complex locking charms which secured the upper compartment.

"But still, I cannot believe we are actually going to do this." Sirius plopped down on James' bed, deserting his nearly empty rucksack which lay on his own four-poster. The bag sagged in half pathetically, as if the fabric realized it had been abandoned for the umpteenth time that evening.

"If you want to back out we can just stop packing and go down to the Common Room. We'll pretend like this never happened." James' eyes were hopeful behind the thick frames of his glasses as he paused with his hand partway extended toward his trunk.

"No. I want to do it! I just can't believe Remus is going along with it." Sirius shot a quenching glare in James' direction, who proceeded to remove the invisibility cloak from its treasured compartment with an air of resignation.

"If we are really going to go off and attempt to execute another one of your half-baked schemes, I would prefer if we were all properly prepared. So if you two wouldn't mind actually packing, I would appreciate it," Remus' muffled voice came trailing out from behind the top of his trunk as he joined James and Sirius' conversation.

"Come on Moony, this is at least a three-fourths of the way baked scheme," Sirius grinned as he sidled off of James' bed and made his way to his trunk.

"Oh yes," Remus began, lifting his head out of his trunk so that his voice was more audible. "This plan only involves three teenage boys sneaking out of a highly secured school to go off and find the headquarters of the most dangerous and feared wizard of the past half century. Then we're supposed to exact revenge upon him and your good-for-nothing brother with no combat training and really no idea what we're doing. This is the best plan you have come up with in the past seven years."

"See, James? Even Mooney realizes this is one of my better ideas," Sirius said, blatantly ignoring Remus' heavy sarcasm. He looked between his two best friends, his signature smile playing across his lips.

Before James could respond, the door to the boys' dormitory opened and Lily walked into the room.

"What's one of your better ideas?" Lily leaned against the open door, smirking slightly as she looked in on boys who seemed to have frozen in varying degrees of shock. "If Sirius has been planning again, I assume I should be slightly afraid of what is about to happen."

"Oh, it's nothing," James said swiftly as he walked over to her and ushered her inside. He shut the door quickly, hoping that she had not been able to hear their conversation through the heavy wood.

"What are you three up to?" Lily asked suspiciously. James' hand on the small of her back was forceful as guided her to sit on the edge of his mattress.

"Up to, Tiger Lily? You say that as though my dearest Moony, Prongs, and myself do not always have the best intentions," Sirius stated as he dropped his slightly fuller bag into his trunk and closed it, hiding it from sight.

"And why are you packing?" Lily's eyes narrowed in time with the echoing _thud_ of Sirius' trunk lid. "Where are you going?" James resisted the urge to swear colorfully. Lily always had been too observant for anybody's good.

"Going? We aren't going anywhere," James said quickly as he sprawled himself across his bed, pushing his bag onto the floor with a loud thud.

"Then what was that?" Lily asked, arching an accusatory eyebrow.

"That? Well that was… Er… It was a…" James mumbled under his breath unable to come up with a lie fast enough. He shot his friends a look of sheer panic over his girlfriend's fiery head.

"We're going on a late night Hogsmeade run, Lily," Remus said calmly as he slammed his trunk shut and hoisted his full bag over his shoulder. "We should be back before midnight."

"Seriously? That's it?" Lily asked, her gaze shifting from one boy to the next. "A late night Hogsmeade trip?" Although she did not completely approve, she had long been aware of the boys' penchant for late night raids of the Honeyduke's cellar. She couldn't really complain as they had assured her they always left more than enough money on the counter to cover the cost of what they had appropriated. Not to mention the fact that she often partook of the results of such endeavors.

"Well, yeah," James sighed, hoping this lie would actually work. "We figured we would have to be a little more careful about it because of the added protection to the school."

"But if you're just going to Hogsmeade, why do you need packed bags? Don't you normally take empty bags to fill?" She walked over to Remus, reaching out to seize his bag.

"We are stopping by the Quidditch Pitch first to drop off some of James and Sirius' extra supplies," Remus replied smoothly, nonchalantly shifting his bag to his other shoulder before Lily could grab it.

"See Tiger Lily? One of my better ideas," Sirius pronounced proudly, shifting on his bed.

"Alright," Lily murmured, though she still eyed Remus suspiciously as she walked back over to James' bed and plopped down next to him.

Remus was not wholly convinced that Lily had bought into their story. He cast a significant look at James and subtly nodded towards the door.

"Hey, Lily, do you want to go on a walk? With me?" James stumbled over his words quickly. "On the grounds? Yeah, do you want to go on a walk with me on the grounds?"

"Er, okay," Lily said, looking at him questioningly. "Are you okay?"

"Me? Oh, yeah, I'm great. Excellent. Brilliant," James said, his voice an octave or two higher than its usual register. He grabbed Lily's hand and tugged her over to the door, gesturing for her to exit before him. He cast a quick look over his shoulder back into the room, before shutting the door behind him.

~ PRD~

"James, are you sure you're alright?" Lily asked once more, as they made their way past the Herbology greenhouses.

"Of course," James replied, his voice having finally returned to its regular pitch.

"You're running your hand through your hair," Lily stated with a pointed look.

"Old habits die hard," James said casually. He interlaced his fingers with hers to prevent himself from doing it again. He knew, as well as she did by now, that the action usually indicated he was anxious. "So, why did you come up to our room anyway?"

"The girls and I...Electra and I," Lily corrected herself loudly, biting her lip, "wanted to know if any of you fancied a game of exploding snap with us. I figured I'd done about as much of my homework as I could handle without damaging my eyes. Then I'd have to get glasses like you." She smiled up at him, but the expression didn't bring the sparkle to her eyes that it usually did. The reminder that Spencer was no longer there-that Lily's trio had been reduced to a pair- brought James' anger at Regulus Black boiling back under his skin. He squeezed Lily's hand, failing miserably at returning her attempt for a smile.

Lily, who discovered she greatly favored happy James over grieving James, reached up and plucked his glasses off of his face. She put them on, going slightly cross-eyed as the lenses slipped down her nose. "How do I look?" she asked flippantly, striking a James-esque pose.

James laughed and lowered his face to hers, squinting so hard that it wrinkled his entire brow. "I'd say ridiculous, but I actually can't see you without them."

Lily stood on her tip-toes to press her lips to his, giggling as his glasses pressed into her face. "How do you live with these things?" Lily returned the glasses to their usual perch and James blinked as the world came back into focus.

"I only live with them because they let me see you every day," he pronounced, pressing a kiss to her cheek as she laughed.

"That was awful, even for you," she stated, "I think you're losing your touch there, Potter."

Silence fell on them as they paced toward the lake, the sun dappling the water with flecks of gold. Lily stopped under the tree where he and Sirius had sat earlier, plotting their revenge on Regulus Black. The enormity of what he and his friends were about to attempt hit James with the force of a Bat Bogie Hex.

"Lily," James began, the words fighting to leave his suddenly constricted throat. It was imperative that he tell Lily how he felt right _now_, should anything go wrong tonight.

"Are you doing something for the Order of the Phoenix tonight? Is that why you're packing?" Lily burst out suddenly. She whirled around to gauge his reaction, obviously hoping that she had caught him off-guard.

"What?" James blanched. He sincerely wished that Lily would forget the name altogether. "No," he said with complete honesty.

"You promised," Lily reminded him, shoving him in the chest with frustration. She threw herself on the grass and looked up at him expectantly. "You promised to tell me about the Order."

"Fine," James sighed and sat down next to her. "I didn't want to tell you, because I don't want you to get involved." He avoided her eyes, unwilling to give her anymore sway in the conversation.

"Get involved in what?" Lily pressed, scooting closer as she sensed victory.

"Dumbledore sort of started this organization," James began, "you know, since the Ministry is questionable these days. It…well, it goes after You-Know-Who and his followers. Secretly," he added quickly. "Sirius and I aren't even supposed to know about it, but we, ah, accidentally tripped one of Dumbledore's detection charms when we tried to spy on the meeting they had at my house last summer."

"So are you a member now?" Lily asked hesitantly, staring out over the water.

"Not yet," James said carefully, discreetly eyeing her set jaw. "I was told I wasn't allowed to join until we were out of school."

Lily turned toward him. She seemed almost inhuman to him then, with her hair gleaming copper in the setting sun, her eyes glittering emerald. He wondered how he had gotten so lucky that she had come to consider it natural to be sitting by him like this. He knew with certainty that losing her was not an option. It had never been one.

She opened her mouth to speak but James cut her off.

"Please don't say what I think you're about to say," he implored.

"I'm joining the Order after school whether you support the idea or not," Lily replied earnestly. Her expression dared him to defy her.

James groaned. "You just said what I was hoping you wouldn't."

Lily took his hand in hers, pressing it between her smaller fingers. "James, he killed my parents, he turned my former best friend into something horrible, and his followers are responsible for Spencer… Can't you understand why?"

James brushed a strand of her hair behind her ear, biting back a knee-jerk retort about how Snape had always been horrible. "I do understand," he mumbled, "I just don't like it."

"You don't have to like it," Lily responded, "you just have to accept it." She leaned up and brushed her lips against his impulsively, trying to smooth over the impact of her words. "This is my fight too," she whispered when she drew back.

James didn't answer. Instead, he pulled her onto his lap. His lips prevented hers from speaking further.

_No,_ he thought as he twined his fingers in her hair, _this is _my_ fight._ Forgetting about the outside world, he kissed her like it might be the last time.

~PRD~

"This is your house?" Remus asked, staring bleakly up at the twisted serpent door-knocker that glared forbiddingly down at them. He shot a sideways glance at James who stood with him behind Sirius on the worn stone steps. James' disgusted glance mirrored his own in the blood-orange glow of the muggle streetlamp. The light cast dim shadows across their faces and made the tarnished number twelve on the doorframe glint menacingly.

"Yep, this is it," Sirius replied darkly. "Cheery place, isn't it?" He raised his hand to rap on the door but stopped short. He heaved a large sigh, and turned around to face his best friends.

"Listen," Sirius started, not meeting their eyes. "You remember all that stuff I said about my mother being crazy?"

"Yeah, of course we do," James responded. "How could we forget? You always begin or end every sentence about your mother with 'That crazy bitch.'"

"Okay," Sirius huffed, as he swung his tall frame around to face the serpent knocker once more, "as long as you both know what you're getting into."

He rapped twice on the door. The metallic snake unwound from its coiled position around Sirius' hand, its diamond-shaped head bobbing through the air until it was at face level. "I am Sirius Black, son of Orion and Walberga Black." Sirius said the words as though they cost him a great deal of effort. _"Toujours Pur_."

James gave a poor attempt to cover his mirth at the discovery of Sirius' parents' names with a cough. Even Remus had to stifle a smile, though he had no room to be pointing fingers where names were concerned.

"Always pure?" Remus translated as the door swung open into a spotless and deserted hallway.

"Family motto," Sirius replied, drawing his wand and stepping into the hallway.

Remus immediately understood why Sirius despised the place. Swathed in shadows, there was something sinister about the house that made the hair on the back of his arms stand up. Or maybe it was merely the large umbrella stand, which he was fairly certain had once been a leg that belonged to a now crippled troll.

"It's certainly… tidy," Remus commented gently, attempting to find some sort of good point in Sirius' childhood home.

"Yeah, we have a house elf—Kreacher—who takes care of that. We've always had elves," Sirius explained as he moved through the tomb-quiet house.

Remus eyed the heads of the previous household servants that lined the wall, mounted on shining wooden plaques. "I see that."

"What Moony means to say is that we can see why you left," James said bluntly, lighting his wand and holding it above his head. "Looks like everyone else left too," he murmured. "Are those snakes on the wallpaper?" he asked incredulously.

"I've always thought that Slytherin himself came here and vomited on the walls," Sirius replied, peering up the staircase, with his own lit wand. "Come on," he went to take a step on the landing but his foot collided painfully with something propped up against the curved banister and he emitted a loud curse.

"Well, if anyone was asleep, I suppose they're up now," Remus muttered, sweeping his wand in several directions as the floorboards above their heads gave an ominous creak.

"What is it?" James demanded in hushed tones as Sirius' curse echoed to the rafters. He turned his wand onto a large square something draped in some sort of canvas fabric. Sirius ripped the cover off and practically snarled as the fabric pooled at his feet, revealing what appeared to be a half-finished portrait of his mother.

"Well bugger me if that isn't the ugliest thing I've ever laid eyes on," he grimaced, throwing the tarp back over his mother's only black beady eye.

"I'm just grateful it isn't finished, so we don't have to listen to her," James responded, jerking his wand upwards as floor above them creaked again. Sirius tugged his friends upstairs.

"Come on, what we're looking for will be in my mother's desk in the drawing room," He started up the stairs but found his way blocked by a small creature, it's ears quivering defiantly.

"Stop! You cannot go further than this landing, by order of my mistress," the house elf stated, holding out one gnarled hand.

"Oh, she ordered you to stop us, did she?" Sirius eyed the house elf with contempt. "Well, I order you to stand back." The elf let out a strangled whimper as it was tossed between the wills of two of its master. Sirius took the opportunity to charge past the elf onto the second landing. Kreacher reached out as if to stop Sirius but his hand froze in mid-motion before rebounding suddenly into his own nose. He bounced backwards into the banister with a dull thunk, fighting his own hand as it tried to inflict punishment for disobeying his first orders and attempting to disobey the second set.

Remus and James scurried behind Sirius as he rounded the corner bellowing, "I know you're here, so you can stop skulking in the shadows like the coward you are." He paused in the entrance to the grand drawing room, where his mother was standing, flanked by the floor to ceiling windows and enveloped in flickering light from the fireplace.

Her lip turned downward at the sight of her estranged son and his unwelcome friends in her doorway. In her glittering gray and black dressing gown and her shadow looming behind her on the wall, James thought Walberga Black looked like a deranged spider.

"Sirius," she intoned dolefully.

"Mother," Sirius deadpanned. Remus nudged James and directed his eyes toward the wand clutched in the woman's hand. James' gaze followed where directed, and he adjusted the aim of his own wand, in case the older woman decided she didn't want three teenagers barging into her house during the late hours of the night.

"I was hoping that you had returned because you had come to your senses," Walberga sniffed, attempting to stare down her nose at her son, an action which was rendered rather comical due to the fact that Sirius towered a good seven inches above her. "I see by the company you keep that is not so."

James had the sudden urge to blurt out that he was as pure of blood as she was, then mentally kicked himself for the thought.

"I just came to pick something up," Sirius replied.

The woman's eyes turned downcast in her sunken face, the wrinkles becoming more pronounced on her jaundiced skin. "But Regulus, you promised mummy that you would stay longer the next time you returned," she said, a pleading tone in her voice.

"What?" James muttered as Sirius' eyes narrowed dangerously. Mrs. e . Black took a step toward them, her arms outstretched as if to embrace Sirius. "Regulus, you aren't even going to greet me properly after you've been away so long. You're father is so busy that I hardly see him now and when he does come home he's too tired to spare much time for me. Come sit with mummy." She sat, patting the cushion next to her in the way one would invite a lapdog to join them.

James and Remus glanced at each other, comprehension dawning. Sirius' mother was not only crazy due to her fanatical pureblood beliefs. She was in fact, so off her rocker that she could not identify which of her sons was in the room with her.

"Sirius, you weren't lying when you said she wasn't... mentally sound, were you?" Remus asked delicately. He peered around his friend's shoulder as they took a few tentative steps into the drawing room, edging away from the loud scuffle in the hallway which was caused by Kreacher, who was still fighting himself.

"We've always known she was a crazy bitch, but... " James started as Sirius nudged him toward the dark paneled writing desk in the corner. Taking the hint, James made his way over toward the desk. He had just rolled the cover back when Mrs. Black began shouting.

"Thieves!" she shrieked, "How dare you enter my house and steal from me!" She raised her wand toward Sirius and faltered. "Sirius? Did your brother send you?"

James hastily began rifling through the pile of parchment on the desk. From what he could tell, Mrs. Black had a very robust social life among the families his tended to avoid. He couldn't fathom why she was complaining of loneliness. Out of the corner of his eye, James saw Remus move to position himself in between the desk and Mrs. Black who was back to pleading for Sirius to sit beside her.

"Orion, dearest, come sit down with me. I've missed you these past few weeks. You're always so tired. I know you're doing important work ridding the world of the filth, but I've missed you at dinner, and in bed."

"That's repulsive," Remus cringed in tune with Sirius' exclamation of "Gross."

"I don't see anything, Padfoot !" James shot across the room, his eyes rapidly scanning the addresses of the parchments.

Sirius swore as Mrs. Black turned on him, wand raised. "How dare you think you can just waltz back into this house after all you have done, Sirius!" Her eyes, truly lucid for the first time in several minutes landed on James. "What—" she flicked her wand, a flash of red light speeding toward James.

James ducked as Remus stepped in front of him, shouting "_Protego!" _At the same time, Sirius bellowed "_Stupify!" _ Mrs. Black slumped backwards onto the sofa before slowly sliding down and landing face first on the floor.

James pushed his glasses up his nose as he raised his head over the back of the chair he had thrown himself behind.

"Did you just…stun your mother?" Remus asked into the shocked silence.

"She deserved it," James and Sirius replied in unison.

Sirius wended his way around the couch and over to the desk. He yanked out a drawer, turning it over so that its contents spilled onto the hardwood floor. From the doorway, Kreacher gave a muffled curse as he watched his beautiful drawing room messed up before his eyes.

Sirius reached into the drawer, tapping the bottom with his wand. "_Alohomora." _James and Remus heard the distinct sound of a lock clicking and Sirius pulled out what was apparently a false bottom in the drawer.

"A false compartment, really?" James scoffed as Sirius thumbed through the stack of parchment and glittering jewels.

"Yes, well, my mother was never as creative when it comes to hiding important things as your parents are." He let out a victorious "Hah!" as he held up a small rectangular piece of parchment of the thick, expensive persuasion.

"Is that an invitation to the Lestrange household?" Remus asked, surveying the parchment with wide eyes.

"Your mother thought it was important enough to hide in a secret compartment?" James asked incredulously, his eyes darting over to where Kreacher was apparently overcoming his self-punishment.

"Oh, you don't understand," Sirius replied, "this is an open invitation. My darling mother is quite good friends with the Lestranges. This invitation states that she and all her family is welcome at any time-"

"Which makes the house plottable to you now that you have it," Remus finished as Sirius stuffed the invitation into his pocket with a triumphant grin.

"Let's get out of here," James directed, heading toward the door, which was still blocked by Kreacher. "I never did catch if your father's lurking around somewhere or not."

"Agreed." Sirius roughly shoved Kreacher out of the doorway with a palm to his slight, wrinkled forehead. He made an 'after-you' gesture to Remus, who scowled as he crossed the threshold, disproving of Sirius' methods of clearing it.

~PRD~

Lily closed the book in front of her with a sigh, unable to read any further. Electra had gone up to bed an hour ago. Lily had chosen to stay in the empty Common Room to wait for the boys to get back. The silence had only served to make her think, so she had retrieved one of Spencer's well-worn romance novels, something about a black knight and his sword. The book so far had only served to remind her of her friend and the silly slumber parties they used to have in their dorm, where Electra would dramatically read aloud the steamy portions of Spencer's current read, while the rest of them daringly ate Bertie Botts and were overcome with fits of giggles.

Frowning, she checked her watch, it was almost midnight and the boys still hadn't returned. Perhaps they had run into Filch and had to take a detour to prevent being heard under the cloak, she mused. Her mind, now that it had latched onto its favorite subject, a certain bespectacled black-haired boy was loath to return to reading. So Lily let her memory wander back to the lake that afternoon instead.

She stretched languidly as something in her coiled pleasantly at the memory. She had asked James to bring her back some Sugar Quills, more for an excuse to see him again in hopes of a repeat experience, than for any great desire for the treat.

Twelve minutes later, Lily had begun to wonder if they had somehow snuck past her under the cloak when she hadn't been paying attention, despite the fact that she didn't remember hearing the portrait hole open at all. She set the book down on a table and made her way toward the boys' dorms.

She knocked, but opened the door anyway upon receiving no response. The dormitory was vacant, the bedspreads haphazardly tossed about. Piles of random books were randomly strewn about Remus' tidily made bed. There was a pile of crumbled parchment pieces strewn across James' pillow that drew her attention. She picked one up, smoothing it in her hands.

_Lily, _

_I tried to tell you today at the lake how I feel because we're about to go do one of those stupid things you used to yell at me for. _

_We're going after Regulus. I couldn't let Sirius go alone and neither could Remus. _

_I l—_

The rest of the note was covered in huge ink blots, indicating that James had grown frustrated.

Lily's heart seemed to plummet into her stomach and sail up into her throat simultaneously. They had gone after Regulus? But how? Regulus was probably safely ensconced within the Death Eater Headquarters at the Lestrange's, but Lily had never divulged the location to the boys…

But she had. Lily closed her eyes as the recollection broke over her, tinted with Firewhisky and chocolate cake. She had told the boys everything about her kidnapping, including the location of the headquarters. Knowing the three of them and the way their brains excelled when it came to trouble, they had probably already found a way to make the unplottable location perfectly locatable.

Lily swore colorfully enough to make Sirius proud before pelting down the stairs only to turn and head toward the girl's staircase. She paused on the landing, logic seeping through her panic. They would need help, but who?

As the image came to her, she raised her wand and thought of James' smile, his bright hazel eyes glinting behind his round glasses. "_Expecto Patronum._" The doe burst from her wand, glittering and silver. It turned around in a small circle as if awaiting instructions.

"Go tell the Potters that their son is in danger. He's gone after Death Eaters with Sirius and Remus. We need help. Tell them to meet me in Hogsmeade by the Shrieking Shack. Tell them to hurry." Lily fervently hoped that the message had sent as she raced the opposite direction. She hadn't had to use a patronus as a messenger since they had learned how to do so during class at the beginning of her sixth year.

"Electra!" she called as she burst in the door, running over to shake the other girl awake.

"What is it?" Electra moaned, turning over. She took in Lily's harried expression, sitting up. "What's wrong?"

"The boys, they went after Regulus. They're walking right into the Death Eater headquarters!" Lily raged, throwing a pair of jeans and trainers in Electra's direction.

"They went after him? Without us?" Electra pulled the jeans on with an indignant huff. "What's the plan?"

"We're going after them. I called for help. We have to meet them in Hogsmeade." Electra tugged a sweater over her head.

"Your secret passageway or mine?" Electra grinned as she drew her wand, ushering the frantic redhead toward the door.

~PRD~

"I still fail to see why we aren't attempting to just floo into the place," James commented as he picked up the grotesque mask and touched it with his wand. It elongated into a perfect approximation of the size of Sirius' face. He glanced out of the cover the trees and down the hillside to where the medieval manor house sat, protected by misshapen gargoyles which leered down at the house's courtyard entrance. The Lestranges' house may have actually beat Sirius' in the race for the creepiest home award.

"Because we know from Lily's account we can get out," Remus responded as he fastened a long black hooded cloak on Sirius. They had taken it from the pale, freckled young Death Eater they had stunned from beneath the cloak when they had accidentally wandered into what was apparently the designated apparition point for Voldemort's minions to access the Lestranges'. They had woken him up only to discover his name before knocking him out again. "Would you prefer to be trapped in the floo network?"

"Getting trapped in the floo network is probably safer than what we're about to do," James commented, passing Sirius the mask.

"You're starting to sound like Moony, Prongs," Sirius chastised him, the words muffled behind the mask. "All we have to do is get inside the mansion, get a hold of my good-for-nothing brother and get out using the second floor fireplace," Sirius made a dismissive gesture with his hand, as if he hadn't just spoken the near impossible. "What could go wrong?"

"Oh, I don't know," Remus retorted sardonically, "the entire house is full of Death Eaters. Not to mention the fact that we might get sent to Azkaban -if we make it out of this-for kidnapping and murder."

"You can always go back to school," Sirius replied as James drew the invisibility cloak out of his bag and shook it out.

"And let you two go alone?" Remus snorted as he stepped next to James. "Who do you think is going to bail you out when this whole scheme goes up in smoke?" He wrapped the cloak around them and they vanished from sight, leaving Sirius to stare at the twisted tree trunks that surrounded them.

"Lead the way, Padfoot. We're right behind you." James ducked his head and began shuffling down the hillside to where the pathway leading to the gate bent like an albino serpent in the dim light of the moon. James glanced at the slightly shorter boy next to him, who merely mouthed 'half-baked' before rolling his eyes and turning his gaze toward the uneven ground once more.

James gripped his wand tighter under the cloak. For the first time regarding one of their schemes, he agreed wholeheartedly with Remus.

~PRD~

Time passed slowly when your life was possibly on the line, James noted grimly as they finally made their way up to the gate. His palms were sweating and his heart was beating a cacophonous tattoo in his chest. Remus and he crept as closely behind Sirius as they could while trying to prevent their shoes from scraping against the cobblestones.

Sirius came to a halt in front of the wrought-iron gate which was guarded by two large Death Eaters.

"All hail the Dark Lord," he greeted. Beneath the cloak, James grimaced at the greeting while Remus' hand twitched noticeably on his wand.

Apparently, Sirius' salutation had not been as far off as James' feared because the guards returned it amicably. One guard pointed his wand at Sirius' chest. "State your name and purpose, brother."

"There's no need to threaten me, brother," Sirius responded. "I am Bartemius Crouch Jr.," he gave the name of the young Death Eater they had knocked out earlier. "I am on my way back from guarding the apparition point."

The guards swung the gate open and James breathed a sigh of relief. Sirius stepped in between them and paused. "I have a message to deliver to Regulus Black, do you know where I could find him?" Sirius asked casually. Beneath the cloak, James and Remus stood stock still behind Sirius, not even daring to breathe while the guard answered.

"In his room I suspect if the meeting's over."

James's blood chilled at the answer. A meeting? Did that mean that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named was _here_? In the very house they were about to walk into? Remus had apparently had the same thought as his hand came up to grip James' arm painfully. James tried to shoot him a reassuring look under the cloak. Both knew that there was no backing out now, not without endangering Sirius.

Sirius seemed unphased however, as he politely asked, "And where is his room? I'm not very familiar with him. I was just told to deliver a message."

The Death Eaters' regarded each other for a moment. The one Sirius had been speaking to shrugged. "I'll take you," he gestured for Sirius to follow him, "my shifts almost over anyhow."

"Thank you." Sirius began to stride beside the man while James and Remus scooted forward, trying to avoid getting hit by the gate as it swung shut. They hurried as quickly as they could after Sirius, who was just entering the ornate wooden doors of the house.

"Slow down," Remus hissed darkly as scuttled to cross the threshold of the door, running in a crouch to prevent Sirius from getting too far ahead. James reached out with one cloak-covered hand as the heavy door began to close, praying that no one had seen the door mysterious remain open longer than usual.

Sirius was already across the shadowed flagstones of the torch-lit entry way. He had just been escorted through a door on the far left-hand side of the hall when James and Remus each took a step across the threshold.

There was a flash of blue light which seemed to hit him in the chest with the force of a freight train, knocking him backwards while a piercing shriek rent the air. He tried not to groan as he collided into the stone steps as Remus, who had mercifully been flung next to him scrambled to cover their protruding feet with the cloak.

"What?" James muttered, dazed, as they scooted out of the way. Ten or so Death Eaters came pouring out of the doors.

"The invitation only invited Sirius," Remus whispered urgently in his ear. "It gave away the location, but didn't lift the protection spells on the house. We can't get inside until someone lowers the charms." They pressed their backs against the wall next to the open door just in time. Rudolphus Lestrange came pounding out of the door, almost tripping on the cloaks of his panicking peers.

"What is the meaning of this?"

~PRD~

Sirius glanced behind him, startled as the shrieking alarm rent the brooding silence which seemed to encompass the entirety of the Death Eaters' chosen headquarters.

"What was that?" he turned to the face the large man beside him, successfully covering his gasp of surprise. The Death Eater had removed his mask somewhere along the staircase. Sirius recognized Crabbe, the Slytherin thug who had been the subject of many Maurauders' pranks before his graduation from the school a few years back.

"Security spell," the hulking young man grunted. "Someone who shouldn't be here tried to get in. Regulus' room is third on the left," he said as they came to the second floor landing. Sirius stomach curled unpleasantly as he realized what Remus had explained to James moments ago. _Please stay hidden under the cloak, _he thought.

"We should go back down. Help." Crabbe turned to lumber back down the stairs, glancing expectantly at Sirius. A strange part of Sirius' brain noted that the Slytherin still had not developed a talent for creating complex sentences.

"Let me grab Regulus and the others," he lied quickly. "The more help, the faster we catch them, right?" This argument seemed to make sense to Crabbe, since he turned and vanished back down the uneven stone steps.

Sirius turned down the hall. It was time to get his brother and his friends, and get out of there.

~PRD~

Regulus sat on his bed. The black robes which he had donned for the official meeting, which had ended some minutes ago, were tossed carelessly on the wrinkled bedspread.

In his hands Regulus cradled a creased photograph. From within the margins of the glossy paper, Spencer smiled up at him, licking her fingers of the chocolate frog which sat slightly melted on her lap. In her free hand, she merrily waved her coveted Hufflepuff card.

He had taken the picture from his brother's room. It had been left haphazardly on Sirius' unkempt bookshelf, abandoned two summers' before when Sirius had run away to live with Potter. Regulus watched as Spencer repeatedly brandished the card, the duplicate of the one she had given him. He could hear her now.

"_Look Reg," she crowed with delight, "It's Hufflepuff! They're really rare. It took me until sixth year to get one, and I've been looking since I was a kid. Here, you take it. To remind you of me." _

Regulus tucked the photo inside his robes, unable to bear looking at her anymore. He willed his tears back just as the door to his room swung open with the prolonged groan of ancient architecture.

"I thought I told you that I didn't want to be disturbed," he growled as he turned around to face the intruder, grabbing his wand from the bedside table. The door had barely slammed shut, plunging the room into darkness when he heard the cry of "Expelliarmus," and his wand went soaring. Regulus heard it clatter to the floor, but could not see where it went.

Wand light flared, stinging Regulus' eyes. Blinking, he registered with shock the glaring face of his older brother. The wand that was producing the light was pointing straight at his heart.

"I'm going to do much worse than just disturb you, brother," Sirius snarled, his eyes filled with ferocious loathing.

He drew his hand back, just as Regulus dove for his wand and the door slammed inward once again with a bang. The room flooded with flickering torchlight.

A spell hit the wall above Regulus' head, bursting a pane of glass in the window behind him. He bit back a grimace as the shards dug into his palms, the blood trickling down the floor in small rivulets as he crawled along in the shadows, feeling desperately for his wand.

His mind flashed back to grass, to the girl he loved bleeding, as her blood dyed the grass…

He ducked as Sirius let fly another wayward spell as he rounded on the unexpected company at the door.

"Regulus," a high-pitched voice trembled, "there's been a breach…" the short, pudgy and masked death eater gasped before running out of the doorway, screaming for help, tripping over robes that were slightly too long for him.

"Fuck," Sirius swore, tearing after the short Death Eater in an attempt to silence him. This was not going to plan. Sirius was too busy dealing with this latest unpleasant development, to see that his brother had finally regained his wand.

* * *

A/N: Review and we'll contemplate bringing Spencer back from the dead! Okay...so maybe not, but it will encourage us to work faster on the next two Chapters, which are full of action and romance! If that's not enough, there may or may not be scenes of...a...sensual nature about to occur. Yep. We just dropped that little nugget on you. ;)


	22. It's Alright Ma I'm Only Bleeding

**Points in the Right Direction**

**Chapter 22**  
**It's Alright Ma (I'm Only Bleeding)**

"Where are they?" Electra's voice cut through the midnight air harshly.

"They're coming!" Lily muttered for what felt like the thousandth time that night.

"But what if your Patronus didn't work? What if we're just wasting time waiting for them to come while the boys are stupidly getting themselves captured because they didn't take us with them?" Electra's voice grew louder with every word as she impatiently tapped her trainer against the cobbled street.

The two friends were standing on the lane at the end of Hogsmeade, in front of the Shrieking Shack. The cool spring air gently ran through their hair as they waited.

And waited.

For whom, Electra did not know.

They had left the Gryffindor Tower in a hurry and had raced through the Honeyduke's secret passage so quickly that Electra had not had time to ask who their help was. And while Electra continually badgered Lily for information on tonight's escapade, the only response her tiny friend would issue was, "They're coming."

In frustration, Electra stomped around the open lane with complete disregard for their position in the open. A great deal of aggravation was beginning to course through her veins.

Why hadn't Sirius included her in this plan? He knew she was more than capable physically, as well as mentally. Having been on the receiving end of some of her nastier jinxes, she knew he was quite aware of her wand work. So why hadn't he included her? And for that matter, why hadn't they included Lily? She may be small, but she was the fastest of the group and no one really stood a chance when she was in a temper.

Didn't they- the girls who had shared a room with Spencer, the ones who had shared every chocolate cake-filled up and every tear-filled down with her, the ones who were more like sisters to her than friends-didn't they deserve revenge just as much as the boys?

"Why did they leave us behind? They know what we're capable of," Electra began muttering darkly as she paced back and forth in front of Lily, whose head seemed to be on a permanent swivel. Her wide green eyes continuously scanned for the arrival of their help.

"It's an insult is what it is," Electra stomped her foot at this, the heel of her trainer squeaking against stone. As though in response to Electra's outburst there were two loud cracks, like a whip hitting its mark, which issued from a few blocks over.

_Merlin, what if someone is coming to find out what all this racket is about? _Lily thought.

"Electra, keep it down will you," Lily tried to hush her friend, while still scanning the darkness. "You don't want to draw attention to us. We'll get sent right back to Hogwarts… and then you won't see any action." She added, knowing the only way to keep Electra in check was the promise of being able to take her anger out on the people who most deserved it.

"Where are they?" Electra asked once more. The reminder of a good fight on the horizon seemed to ease her exasperation, if only for a moment.

"They're coming!" Lily said, her voice holding hope.

"But what if they're not?" Electra screeched, her want to join the battle getting the better of her. What if Sirius had taken out all of the good Death Eaters, and all she had to take out were chumps?

"No, Electra," Lily said as she grabbed Electra's arm and, with a great deal of force, whipped her around to face up the long street which stretched through the quaint village. Pointing through the shadows, Lily whispered, "They're really coming!"

There in the gloom were two lean figures, one slightly taller than the other. True to their years of Auror training, they made their stealthy way towards the girls. Had Lily not been looking for them, she never would have seen them.

As they drew closer, their worried faces were thrown into sharp relief by the bright light suddenly emitted by Electra's wand.

"Lily, dear." The tall, strong frame of Catherine Potter engulfed Lily quickly before turning to Electra and embracing her just a swiftly.

"Lily," Mr. Potter said, pulling her in for a small hug before his wife returned to his side. Concern was etched into every line of their faces.

Before this moment, Lily had not realized how old James' parents must really be. She knew his father had just retired, but from his demeanor and quick wit, she had never considered him to be over forty. But now, his hair, which was grayer than it had been over Christmas, was standing on end more so than Lily had ever seen James.' His kind brown eyes were set behind red lined lids.

Mrs. Potter was obviously beside herself, though her tall, strong frame was still as elegantly composed as ever. It was her face that gave away her complete and utter anxiety over the whereabouts of her son and his two best friends, whom she had come to consider her own.

"Any word from them since you messaged us?" Mr. Potter asked, as he ran his hand through his hair nervously.

"No, nothing," Lily responded quickly, though she did note how very much like his father James truly was. "But I know where they are."

"We all know where they are," Mrs. Potter said, unclasping her pewter colored cloak and dropping it to the ground absentmindedly. In the wand light, Lily and Electra could see that she had come quite prepared. She was wearing a belt around her waist and she carried a small pack on her back, clearly filled with medical and healing supplies.

"The question is how do we get there?" Mr. Potter continued for his wife. "And once we get there, how do we get in. The Lestranges have made the house unplottable. We've been trying to access it for years but to no avail. We have the general location but have been unable to gain entry."

"Wait, how do you know they're at the Lestranges'?" Lily asked. She hadn't told them about that part of the boys plan in her message.

"It is a known fact throughout the Order of the Phoenix that Lord Voldemort has been using the Lestranges' home as his base of operation for years. And it is also a known fact that James Potter and Sirius Black have a knack for getting themselves into situations of a questionable nature," Mr. Potter explained as he followed his wife's lead and also unclasped his cloak and let it fall to the ground. "Naturally, my boys would go to the hideout of the most dangerous wizard in half a century without so much as a second thought."

"That's James and Sirius, alright," Electra mumbled in concurrence. She shifted her weight in irritation.

"I think I can get us there," Lily cut across the conversation rapidly. They were losing precious time while James, Sirius, and Remus could be in mortal danger. "When I was kidnapped, the Death Eaters held me at the Lestranges'. I think that, because I've already been there, I can get us in."

"You having already been there will get _you_ in, but it won't get us in, dear," Mrs. Potter explained. "You could take us there, but we would never be aware of the house's presence."

Lily's heart sank.

"But," Mr. Potter began, "there may be another way."

"How? If I'm the only one who can get in…" Lily trailed off.

"If we were to apparate to a point outside of their property, Lily could go in before us and take out the defenses. We could follow before they had a chance to activate them again," Mr. Potter said, surveying the three women surrounding him.

"Absolutely not," his wife firmly stated, while at the same time Lily and Electra said, "Sounds like a plan."

"Philip, you cannot think for one second I will follow a barely thought-out plan which unnecessarily endangers a young woman's life-"

"Mrs. Potter," Lily started quietly, not wanting to sound disrespectful. "I'm sorry, but we are wasting time here talking when we could already be there helping the boys. If this is the only plan we have, we have to use it… before it's too late!"

Catherine Potter examined the three anxious faces peering into her own. Her eyes shifted from grey to green to brown and saw the same pleading expression in each pair of irises.

"Fine," she sighed, agreeing against her better judgment.

"Brilliant," Electra said, as she began to pull her hair back into a ponytail.

"But, first," Mrs. Potter began, "Philip, if you will do the honors."

"Of course, dear," he responded. He flicked his wand casually and a huge, sparkling creature emerged from its tip. The majestic lion circled them protectively as Mr. Potter spoke to it.

"Go," he instructed. "Tell everyone."

Just as suddenly as it had appeared, the magnificent animal disappeared into the night, its glittering body swallowed up by the darkness.

"Where is it going?" Electra asked the question that was on the tip of Lily's tongue.

"To the Order members," he said casually.

"Okay, Lily, since I have worked multiple patrols on what we believe is the outskirts of the Lestranges' property I can apparate us there. From that point it will be all up to you," Mr. Potter explained as he held out both his arms for the three women surrounding him to take hold of.

"Everyone ready?" he asked, casting one final glance around. With three nods of approval and one last knowing look from his wife, he turned on the spot and they were gone.

~PRD ~

James Potter had always considered himself and his cohorts to be masters of chaos. The Marauders had always had a knack for getting themselves into sticky situations, causing a great amount of disorder and mess, and if they were lucky, outright pandemonium. As he stared up into the dozens of masked faces that were filtering into the dimly lit corridor, wands drawn and pointing in every direction, he knew they had out done themselves this time.

"Well, this certainly got interesting quickly," he heard Remus mutter under his breath.

"Who's there?" Rudolphus Lestrange demanded once more as he paced near the two teenagers, still covered in James' Invisibility Cloak.

In the chaos of the noise and hurrying of Death Eaters, James and Remus were able to creep their way back into the building, which miraculously did not repel them this time.

"No one's there. The wards've gone wonky," a nasal voice replied, "I took them down, so they wouldn't disturb the Dark Lord and call him back. No use troubling him if there's nothing there."

James had to stop himself from sighing audibly in relief as they shuffled along, trying not touch any of the assembled Death Eaters. Voldemort must have left the house directly after the meeting.

James and Remus pressed themselves against a small alcove which played host to a statue which James did not have the heart to look at, but could feel its granite wand protruding into his back. As Remus made sure they were completely covered under the cloak, James surveyed the scene. He took in the large stone staircase and four long, narrow hallways which snaked from the entryway, all of which were full of Death Eaters.

A rogue curse came out of the mass of black cloaks that blocked all of their exits. It ricocheted off the stone walls and back into the crowd, knocking one of the Death Eaters directly onto his back.

"Stop!" Rudolphus commanded. "Stop you idiots. Put the wards back up. Now."

"Well, we've certainly lost the element of surprise," James whispered, taking advantage of the commotion of the Death Eaters dragging their fallen comrade from the floor and once again closing rank.

James' eyes scanned the room once more as Rudolphus stormed past their hiding place. Had James not been in such grave peril he would have found Lestranges' behavior of randomly snatching at bits of empty space highly amusing. Rudolphus did another lap by the two and his hand just missed Remus' shoulder by the width of a wand. James' mind seemed to be doing overtime as possibilities of exit strategies began to percolate in his brain. _Sirius, where are you?_

"Rudolphus, what if they escaped into another part of the house?" one of the smaller Death Eaters in the front row asked. He sounded as though he could not be much older than James.

"That charm is used to knock the intruder backwards," Rudolphus began, "There is absolutely no way an intruder, no matter how skilled, could have reacted to that and escaped in the amount of time it took all of you idiots to thunder down here like a herd of hippogriffs."

"But what if-," the young Death Eater began again.

"Enough!" Rudolphus barked, cutting him off before he could finish. "I know they are here. I can feel them. "

They were running out of time. The longer they just stood there, their chances of escaping the Death Eaters' clutches were diminishing rapidly.

"Come out, come out, where ever you are," a Death Eater chanted from the center of the mob that was now congregating in the marble-floored entryway.

Every Death Eater under Lord Voldemort's command seemed to be before James' eyes, ready to kill him on command. Or James thought, with a sickening jolt, without a command.

"Yes, please," Rudolphus said, as he finally stopped pacing the small enclosure and took to slowly revolving on the spot in the center of the congested space. His eyes hungrily catalogued every square inch of the room as he looked for the intruders. More footsteps could be heard down the multiple hallways which branched off the entryway as the stragglers arrived.

"Rudolphus," an out of breath Death Eater gasped as he skidded to the front of the group. "The Dark Lord says to take care of whatever Order filth have infiltrated, he wishes not to be disturbed by such a trivial matter."

An icy chill ran up and back down James' spine at the realization that Lord Voldemort was a mere message away. Just because he had left the house did not mean he couldn't return just as promptly. James' heart was thundering in his chest so loudly he thought Voldemort could probably hear it, wherever he was. He heard a change in the pace of Remus' breathing. James' eyes swept upward, searching for a way out…

"Ah, yes," Rudolphus muttered, though the confidence with which he had been carrying himself just moments earlier had clearly diminished.

"Moony," James breathed so quietly he barely even heard himself.

"Way ahead of you, Prongs," Remus returned. Without so much as a warning, he pointed his wand directly at the ostentatious chandelier suspended above the hallway and yelled, "Reducto!"

The crash of the chandelier seemed to reverberate throughout the house as it hit the floor, more than half of the ancient ceiling coming down with it.

Before he could realize what was happening, his Quidditch-honed reflexes took over. James reached over to Remus and pulled him hastily to the ground, trying to shield him from the shards of crystal, metal, and stone flying everywhere.

Yells of terror and moans of pain tore through the air as half of the masked party was crushed, pinned, or knocked out by the explosion. The shrieking cry that rent the air upon their arrival blasted once more through every eardrum that it could reach, shaking the room once more.

James let out a loud groan as a large piece of newly fallen ceiling rolled over his left arm. He could've sworn he heard it crack, but it was hard to tell over the alarm and the screams of the Death Eaters now being pulled from the wreckage of Remus' falling chandelier.

To his utmost shock, James' glasses had not been completely shattered in the aftermath of Moony's spell. Using his right arm to hoist himself up, James scanned the dim and dusty room for the owner of the wand that had sparked this new mayhem.

"Oh, Merlin," he gasped as his eyes took in Remus' crumpled form on the floor next to him. His skin, typically marred by a myriad of scars, was now torn to shreds by shards of crystal as well as pieces of flying shrapnel. His legs were crumpled up to his torso like an accordion. But what gave James the greatest cause for concern was the giant gash in his friend's chest, where his blood was now seeping through his tattered shirt and drenching the smooth floor.

James, sure the distracted Death Eaters could barely see them through the dark and dusty room, crawled as quickly as he could muster with one good arm to his friend. As he drew up to his side he could here Remus' strangled breathing and knew they were running out of time.

Rockets of green, red, blue, and purple light were flying through the settling rubble, bouncing off the stone walls and back into the throng of black cloaks. The remaining Death Eaters, in hopes of jinxing their invisible attacker were now finishing themselves off. Groans of pain and shouts of panic issued from the small group of Death Eaters still standing.

James grabbed the cloak which had landed directly in between himself and Remus and rearranged it to cover Remus' mangled form as well as himself. Tightly closing his eyes for a second of clarity he inwardly groaned, _"Where the fuck are you, Sirius?"_

~PRD~

"Get back here!" Sirius barked as he made a daring grab for the small, pudgy Death Eater, who was just out of his grasp. But the small boy, moving faster than he had probably ever moved in his entire life, sprinted down the hallway deeper into the house.

Sirius swore as he slipped in what appeared to be a puddle of urine. Apparently this had all been a little too much excitement for this young man, who Sirius could only assume was a new recruit.

"Prongs, Moony, why in the name of Merlin fucking Grindelwald didn't you stop him?" Sirius asked the apparently empty corridor. But he was not met with a response. A small chill ran through him as he spun on the spot, hoping his two friends would jump out from under the cloak and shout "Surprise!", but no such luck.

"James, Remus," Sirius called quietly once more to the vacant corridor. Sirius could hear pounding footsteps from all around him as more Death Eaters seemed to converge upon the entryway below him. He felt as though a hippogriff had just bowled him over as the awareness of his friend's location hit him. He spun on the spot, searching the torch lit passage for an idea, _any idea,_ that he could use to help his friends. _What the hell have I done?_

"Fuck, fuck, fuckity, fuck, fuck, fuck," Sirius groaned as he ran one of his massive hands through his unruly hair.

"That would be the tune I'd be singing too, if I were you, brother," a soft drawl issued from behind Sirius' back.

Sirius turned slowly on the spot to once again face his younger brother. To his dismay, Regulus had relocated his wand. This was only a minor setback in Sirius' mind, as Regulus had never been quite as quick as his older sibling in a duel.

Sirius stared at the young man before him, bolstered by his absolutely sickly appearance. Regulus had clearly been losing weight, his slender frame looking more emaciated than usual, his yellowing skin stretched over his cheeks. Dark circles encased his red lidded eyes, and Sirius noted with a bit of satisfaction, that the skeletal hand clutching his wand seemed to be shaking.

"Not looking so great, Reg," Sirius remarked, a bit of a chuckle in his deep voice.

"At least I'm not covered in piss," Regulus returned cheekily, trying to steady his hand.

"Go fuck yourself."

"Wow, clever," Regulus smiled as though he were speaking to a small child.

"You don't deserve anything cleverer, you piece of filth. You're the reason…" Sirius trailed off darkly. The purpose as to why he was here came rushing back to him in a wave of hostility, hatred, and agonizing loss. "You're the reason she's dead!"

"Don't try and pin that on me!" Regulus shouted back angrily. Had Sirius been looking for it, he would have seen his own grief mirrored in his brother's eyes at the mention of Spencer. "If you and your useless friends had done what you were supposed to do, I could have left the grounds without her knowledge and she'd still be alive!"

A strong burst of light issued from Sirius' wand, his temper getting the better of him, but Regulus sent up a shield charm quickly.

"Don't blame me for your choices!"Sirius hollered. He was sure no one would hear them now over the commotion down the stairs. "You got involved with Voldemort." Regulus took in a large breath at the name of his master but Sirius' fury gained momentum.

"You got involved with Spencer! You led her on! You knew she would've done anything for you! And you just let one of _them_-" he spat the last word out as though it were poison- "_kill_ her. This is all your fault. Don't you dare try and push it onto someone else, baby brother."

This time it was Regulus' turn to release a powerful curse. A ball of red light akin to a fireball raced toward Sirius. Sirius flicked his wand lazily to defect it. He was now in control of his anger. The blood that was racing through his veins was pounding in his ears and he felt his muscles contract reflexively in his arms.

"Don't-" Regulus began hotly.

"You can't put this on anyone else, Regulus!" Sirius cut across him. He took a domineering step forward, beginning to close the gap between them.

"Don't you think I know that?" Regulus seethed, his body tensing, as he too began to fill with rage.

Sirius stopped dead in tracks. This he had not expected. Was Regulus actually admitting to being the reason Spencer was gone? What in the name of Merlin was going on?

"Losing Spencer…" Regulus began but he seemed unable to finish his sentence.

For the first time Sirius truly registered the pure anguish painted across every single one of his brothers features. Regulus' current state of diminishing health wasn't due to fear of retaliation by Sirius and his friends; he was mourning Spencer, just as Sirius was.

Seeing his brother's suffering did not soften Sirius, it only hardened him more.

"You didn't lose her!" Sirius shouted, his rage mounting impossibly higher. "You threw her away!"

He drew his wand to shoulder height and began throwing jinxes at Regulus rapidly. Regulus, though younger and smaller than his brother, had been practicing, and he swiftly erected a shield once more.

"It's no use, Sirius," Regulus shouted as he began his counter-attack, sending a well placed stunner towards Sirius' chest. "Even if you kill me, you won't make it out alive!"

Deflecting his brother's jinx at the last second, Sirius slashed his wand in a fierce arc and sent a glowing streak of orange towards Regulus. "What if I'm not looking to make it out alive? And what does it matter to you?"

Regulus ducked just in time as Sirius' curse hit the wall to his right, blowing right through it and sending large pieces of stone cascading to the floor. Narrowly avoiding the pile up of small boulders, Regulus made to seek shelter behind it now as he tried to staunch the blood flow from a gash he had received just above his eye.

"Oh, it doesn't matter to me if you make it," Regulus replied haughtily, regaining control of his emotions once more. "I just never thought you'd be so careless with your friend's lives."

As though on cue, a giant blast erupted from the entryway making the entire house shake with its force. A number of torches fell out of their brackets along the hallway, sending the two into an even deeper darkness. Sirius' heart plummeted into his stomach as he finally comprehended just how reckless his plan was. His anger with Regulus began to mingle with fear for James and Remus as he heard shouts of pain and groans of agony stem from the center of the house.

~PRD~

The minute they had reached the boundaries of the Lestranges' property, Lily knew something was wrong. Not only could Mr. and Mrs. Potter see the monstrous house, but so could Electra. It had suddenly become, plottable.

Only thinking of James, Lily pelted towards the house, her hair streaming behind her like a flame.

"Lily!" Electra shouted behind her. She could hear Mr. and Mrs. Potter's voices behind her as well, but her mind could not seem to focus on them. Getting to James was the only thing that mattered.

Though the smallest of the group, she was still the swiftest and maneuvered agilely through the forest and down the hill that surrounded the house.

Slightly out of breath, she arrived at the towering wrought iron gate, which was mysteriously left slightly open. In the heartbeat of a moment she took to contemplate the oddity of the severely lacking security measures upon Lord Voldemort's allegedly infamous hide out, a ground shaking blast issued from the house.

Her heart seemed to explode along with the blast and, without a second thought she pushed the wrought iron gate aside, and sprinted towards the house. As Lily closed the gap between herself and the door she held up her wand, ready to use it. She took one step up to the door, and was blown forcefully backwards as a hair-raising shriek filled the air. She landed on her back painfully, her head colliding with the concrete walkway.

"Oh, Merlin, Lily!" she could hear Mr. Potter's voice distantly as she struggled to pull herself upright. She turned around to see the image of Mrs. Potter hoisting Electra to her feet just outside the leering gate swim before her. She looked around and was shocked to see Mr. Potter already at her side. Had that fall knocked her out for a couple seconds?

"Are you alright?" Mr. Potter asked, his face coming into sharper focus and his voice getting clearer.

"Yes, I'm fine!" Lily groaned, shaking her head as she pushed herself unsteadily to her feet. She looked up to see Electra and Mrs. Potter rushing towards them.

"Are you alright, dear?" Mrs. Potter asked worriedly.

"I'm fine!" Lily insisted as she tried to make her way towards the front door, as more screams of pain issued from directly on the other side. "Let's go!"

Her brain seemed to clear up instantly at the thought of James in danger, but before she had time to reach the door, Mr. Potter grabbed her wrist.

"How about you let an old pro show you how it's done?" he quipped playfully and Lily saw the cocky smirk that usually played across James' lips grace his father's face. And without further ado, Philip Potter raised his wand and blasted the front door off its hinges.

~PRD~

"Where the fuck are you, Sirius?" James groaned. He shut his eyes, eager to clear his head of the havoc that was taking place behind him, but to no avail. He opened his eyes and immediately wished he hadn't as he saw the very little trace of red that was usually present in Remus Lupin's pale complexion had vanished. The hope of leaving this place with his two best friends in tact was starting to drain out of James like Remus' blood onto the floor.

Suddenly there was a blast like cannon fire as the front door flew off its hinges into the center of the room, knocking over a few of the Death Eaters in a bizarre imitation of muggle bowling.

In the wake of the door, four figures came rushing in, wands raised and spells flying towards the Death Eaters. The tallest figure in the lead sent a stunning spell so powerful that it flung an unsuspecting Death Eater down a hallway and out of sight.

"James!" the man yelled, looking around wildly. James heart soared. They were saved!

"Dad!" James yelled instinctively back and yanked the cloak off to reveal himself to his father.

"James!" a second voice cried. The sound of it made James' heart sink so rapidly he was sure it had actually fallen out of him. _She should not be here…She could not be here…_

"Lily," he hollered back as he got to his feet and tried to catch their attention. "What are you doing here?"

"I couldn't let you get yourself killed," she cried as she made her way over to him, throwing a well-placed stunner over her shoulder.

"Yeah, Potter. We couldn't let you have all the fun," Electra yelled from her post behind the now fallen statue James had used as cover earlier. James scanned the group dueling in the center of the room and discovered that the last of his rescuers was his mother.

"Where are Sirius and Remus?" Lily asked in between jinxes, her voice full of concern.

"I don't know where Sirius is, but Remus…" he trailed off as they backed toward their injured friend. He couldn't bring himself to say it out loud.

"Oh my…" Lily gasped looking down at Remus' barely breathing form. "We have to get him out of here."

"I know, but we can't leave without Sirius," James bellowed over the cacophony.

"Where did he go?" Lily asked.

"Door on the far left of the hall," James responded, pointing straight ahead to an unblocked entry.

"Stay with Remus. I'll go get him!" Lily said, and she was off faster than James' prized racing broom. James called out to her but she was halfway across the room, shooting jinxes, her hair bright as dragon fire in the dim light.

"Where is Lily going?" Electra shouted, as she watched her petite friend disappear.

But James didn't answer, as he suddenly felt a vice like grip around his ankle.

"Prongs," Remus drew in a ragged breath as he spoke his friend's name. James stooped over him and knew it was now or never. He needed to get Remus out and he needed to get him out now.

"Mum! Mum!" James bellowed for his mother. "I need your help. Now!"

~PRD~

"Sirius!" Lily cried out as she bolted down the dark hallway. It was no use being quiet at this point, if that ruckus in the entryway hadn't awoken every Death Eater for miles, her yelling wouldn't either.

"Sirius!" she cried out again. She rounded a slight corner only to be confronted with a set of narrow, winding stairs. She darted up them and immediately threw herself to the ground as a purple stream of light came throttling towards her head. Quickly taking in her surroundings Lily crawled to safety behind a pile of rubble on the landing as hexes continued to soar above her.

"Petrificus Totalus!" she heard Sirius roar and another jet of light flew past her hiding spot, colliding with the wall behind her.

"Sirius!" she yelled once more, lighting her wand quickly and holding it in the air like a flare.

"Lily?" Sirius' flabbergasted voice came through the darkness punctured by spell light.

"So you brought the mudblood with you?" Lily made out Regulus' smug voice in the darkness.

Without a moments warning, and quite frankly without thinking, Lily jumped up from her hiding spot and began slashing her wand through the air. The sudden rush of adrenaline seemed to sharpen her vision in the dimmed corridor. One glance at the two frozen figures was all it took for her to make out the one with shorter hair.

"Stupefy! Expelliarmus!" Lily shouted as brilliant jets of red erupted from the end of her wand. It was as though the sound of his voice, the acknowledgement of his presence, had rekindled all of the unsettled grief in Lily's heart. The dull thud of body hitting stone told her she had hit her mark.

"Merlin fucking Grindelwald, Lily," Sirius huffed as he rapidly shuffled over to his brother's unconscious form. "I wanted to do the honors."

"Sorry, Sirius," Lily panted between large breathes.

"Don't worry about it," Sirius chuckled darkly. Sirius stepped on Regulus' wand hand, shattering delicate bone as though it was a task as mundane as cleaning his cauldron the muggle way. He stooped down to pick up his brothers wand, and savagely snapped it in half.

"You-piece-of-shit-" Sirius began, punctuating every word with a sharp kick to his brother's chest and stomach. Lily was sure she heard a few ribs crack.

"Sirius, we have to go," she walked over to him grabbing his arm. They didn't have time for this.

"No," Sirius ripped himself free from her hold. "He killed Spencer. He has to get what he deserves!" This time, his insole came down on Regulus' face. A horrific grinding crunch indicated the fracture of Regulus' nose.

Lily opened her mouth to reason with Sirius when a chilling voice pierced the darkness, puncturing the very core of their beings.

"Who dares assault Lord Voldemort?" The words rang in their ears so loudly it was as though the house itself was speaking. Silence blossomed in the chaos.

"It's him," Sirius whispered from Lily's side and, with no further thought of Regulus, he grabbed her hand. They tore down the hallway toward the front stairs, a new wave of terror rising up inside them both.

They pounded into the entry way, stopping in the middle of the staircase. The main hallway was completely devoid of human presence. The front doorway had completely collapsed, and escape was barred by the mounds of rubble.

"Where are they?" Lily gasped. A heartbreaking scream echoed from the chamber across the hall.

"James!" they both shouted. Sirius, significantly taller and with a much wider stride, took the last steps two at a time, skillfully avoiding the masses of debris strewn at the bottom. Lily followed his lead, trying to get to James as swiftly as possible. But right as she reached the last step Sirius held out his arm to stop her from continuing across the hallway.

A curse flew by the spot she was just about to fill. Sirius pulled Lily to the ground behind the wrecked banister. He crouched over her, throwing a protective arm over her shoulders and head as more spells rocketed over them.

"Stay here where it's safe," Sirius instructed her, shouts from familiar voices coming from the room right in front of them.

"Says the boy whose ass I just saved," Lily shot back, twitching her wand in her hand. She was ready to find James and get the hell out of here.

"I didn't think you'd listen. James would kill me if I didn't ask," he responded. Sirius straightened up slowly, pulling Lily up with him. Another undecipherable scream rent the air.

"Lead the way, Tiger Lily," Sirius gestured ostentatiously. "I've got the shield."

"Ready?" she asked, tentatively looking around the cracked stone railing, preparing to strike.

"_Protego_," Sirius muttered and a shield sprung to life from his wand

"I've got your back," Sirius whispered. He gripped her shoulder with her free hand while his other hand clung to his wand tightly.

With one last reassuring glance back at Sirius, Lily took off across the corridor. Sirius kept close to her, in order to keep her under his shield charm as well.

It was sheer chaos. Death Eaters burst from the ornate wooden doors in front of them, screams peppering the sound of jinxes. Spells bounced harmlessly off of the shield he had erected around them.

Looking down at Lily, Sirius had to stop himself from laughing a little, as she seemed to be doing some horribly uncoordinated foreign dance. Her short legs were carrying her as quickly as they could while her arms flailed about her torso, conjuring as many offensive and defensive spells as they had ever learned in their seven years at Hogwarts. Sirius noted, unsurprised but still impressed, that Lily was casting all of her spells nonverbally and so swiftly, multiple colors of light were spewing out of her wand in one continuous stream.

"Lily! Sirius!" Sirius heard James' hoarse and broken voice as they entered what he assumed had been the dining room. What Sirius could see between the flurry of Death Eater attacks and the sheer power that was the pint-size Lily, made his heart sink into his stomach.

James and Mr. Potter were cornered against the massive fireplace in the room. James crouched behind the remanants of the upturned mahogany table, while his father used the mantle for cover from the Death Eaters attacking from the opposite side of the room. Both were furiously waving their wands through the air, not unlike the fiery red-head crouched beneath him. Lying at their feet, under the sanctuary of James' makeshift fort, was the crumpled form of Mrs. Potter.

"Oh, Merlin, no," Sirius whispered. He tore his eyes away from her body. The image seemed far too familiar as snapshots of Spencer's limp form lying in his arms clouded his vision.

A resurgence of the anger he felt moments earlier for his brother bubble up inside him. They took his girl. How dare they take his real mum?

In one fluid motion Sirius had grabbed Lily around the middle with one arm and shoved her down behind the table next to James, but before he could begin his own furious wand work the cold, high-pitched voice of moments before tore through his ears once more.

"Stop," the voice commanded, "they are mine."

Immediately, the attacking Death Eaters lowered their wands to their sides. They too, seemed to feel the palpable terror course through the house. Voldemort had arrived.

"Take your mother and get out of here," Mr. Potter ordered tightly into the reprieve following the Dark Lord's pronouncement. Phillip Potter ignored the jeering laughter of the few Death Eaters that heard him.

Sirius dropped to his knees at Mrs. Potter's side. "She isn't…" he trailed off as he touched her face knowing that his surrogate mother had now followed Spencer to a place they could not come back from.

"You have to get out now," Mr. Potter reiterated, somehow made even more intimidating by the tear tracks lining his face. "The Order is coming, I'll be alright," Philip said harshly, cutting off his son's attempts to argue. "Take care of your mother."

James stooped down to pick up his mother's body to carry her back up the stairs, to the only escape available to them, the floo network on the second floor. He dismissed the pain in his left arm, and only vaguely noticed Sirius and Lily flanking him. Their shield charms enveloped him as they moved past the waiting Death Eaters and into the hallway. Footsteps indicated his father followed.

As he stepped into the entryway, ruined ceiling flooding the room with the light of the partial moon, the Death Eaters filling the corridor watching them retracted against the wall. Some of them fell to their knees and prostrated themselves on the ground.

Unable to stop himself, James turned, and the chill that had run down his spine ran back up as he saw a tall, thin figure clothed in all black, floating above the rubble that had been the door.

"James, go!" his father yelled. James tried to run, to heed his father's directions but was unable to move as he stared up into hard, snakelike features of Lord Voldemort.

"Such a lack of courtesy," the cold voice from earlier filled his ears once more, but it was no longer disembodied. "To leave when I had just arrived."

Voldemort's gleaming scarlet eyes fixed on Philip Potter as he floated down the debris. "Ah, Philip Potter. How lovely. It's not every day I have the man responsible for the capture of so many of my followers visit." Voldemort paused a few feet away, his wand held lightly, casually in his hand. The skin on his face was so pale that, in the dimly lit hallway, he appeared to glow in the dark.

"James, Lily, Sirius, go," Philip said tightly, his eyes and his wand, never leaving Lord Voldemort. "I'll hold him off."

"Now, now, Philip, those aren't proper manners, asking guests to leave before the party is over," Voldemort chided him, gliding forward.

Lily watched Voldemort advance, wand drawn—

She threw herself in front of Mr. Potter a shield erecting in front of Mr. Potter at the same time Voldemort flicked his wand indolently murmuring, "Crucio!"

"And who is this?" Voldemort inquired, as he shifted his glance over to Lily, a slight note of surprise lingering in his voice as his curse was deflected, his bright red eyes flashing dangerously, "Ah, yes, the escaped mudblood."

"Don't call her that!" James yelled from behind Sirius. Voldemort's eyes darted to where James cradled his mother's broken form against his chest.

"Is this youngest Potter?" Voldemort asked Philip, a small smile playing across his thin lips as he saw the look of agony on Mr. Potter's face as James came forward. "Like father, like son. It is unfortunate that your mother had to suffer such an end, but it is a shame to let such talent go to waste. It seems you have bested some of my finest followers." Voldemort held out one long fingered hand in a gesture of peace.

"Come. Put your mother down and join me. Spare yourself further loss." Voldemort looked expectantly at James.

"No," James replied, shifting his mother in his arms, in an attempt to get a better grip on his wand.

"I beg your pardon?" The Dark Lord glanced around at his followers, gesturing in mock helplessness. "What other choice do you have? Put down the woman and come with me. Maybe I'll let your little girl live."

James turned toward Sirius, holding out his mother's body. "James, no—" Sirius said as he took the battered form of his adoptive mother from his best friend. "You can't be serious."

"Good boy, Potter," Voldemort said gleefully. He seemed to take delight in the pain sprawled across their faces.

"I've never been a good boy," James snarled, pointing his wand at the pile of rubble at his feet. The rocks trembled then leapt up, transforming into ferocious attack dogs in midair. The dogs charged Lord Voldemort, teeth snapping at his robes. Voldemort staggered back, surprised. He waved his wand and the transfigured dogs were consumed by flame.

"You have made a grave mistake, crossing me young Potter," Voldemort snarled, and pointed his wand at Lily. James threw up a shield charm in front of her, just as Lily bellowed, "Expelliarmus!" Voldemort's wand flew out of his hand, clattering the floor. The Death Eater's gasped.

No one except Albus Dumbledore had dared to challenge Voldemort.

Philip Potter crossed in front of the teenagers as a Death Eater cried, "My lord!" and tossed him his wand from where it had fallen. Voldemort caught the wand without really looking at it, his face twisted further with ire.

"Unfortunately for you young Mr. Potter, that is the last time you or your mudblood friend will defy Lord Voldemort," Voldemort sneered, slashing his wand through the air, a jet a green light rupturing from the end of it.

Sirius, recognizing the spell, dropped Mrs. Potters corpse and dove at James and Lily knocking them to the ground, the spell narrowly avoiding the top of their heads. There was the sickening thud of bodies hitting the cracked marble floor. James glanced up in time to see his father's proud form crumple to the ground next to the abandoned body of his mother.

Philip Potter, unable to move quickly enough with his injured leg, was dead.

"NO!" James shouted, struggling to reach his fallen parents against his' friends hold, who were trying to pull him toward the stairs in the vain hope that they could still escape.

"Enough!" Voldemort cried out, his temper flaring as the threesome once again narrowly escaped death. There was a large rumbling behind Voldemort and the rubble that was blocking the entry was moved aside. Standing in the cleared pathway was a shadowed figure, whose flowing hair and beard reflected the white moonlight.

"Yes, Tom," the figure stated, his voice firm. "That is quite enough."

"Dumbledore!" Voldemort hissed with rage. "How did you get in here?"

"The front door," Dumbledore said, mildly. "You left it unguarded," he added, waving his hand nonchalantly. His midnight blue robes billowed behind him as he strolled into the space. A series of loud cracks sounded into the night.

"We are here to shut down this headquarters. I'm afraid it has done quite a bit of irreparable damage to our world." Dumbledore's piercing blue eyes fixed on the forms of Philip and Catherine Potter.

"We?" Voldemort asked, his cold voice betraying a flicker of fear.

"Yes, we, Tom," Dumbledore responded and faster than Lily's eyes could take in dozens of people were storming into the breach Dumbledore had created, their wands held aloft, prepared to fight. "But I am afraid that you shall have to deal with me tonight, for I cannot stand by while you threaten my students."

It was then that James understood why Voldemort feared Dumbledore. There was a fierce strength and power in his stride and a steely glint in his usually twinkling eyes that transformed him from their benign headmaster into a petrifying figure of terrible power. Dumbledore's eyes flickered over to where the teens stood, briefly, before he made the first attack.

Within seconds, the Death Eaters were retaliating as the Order members followed their leader into combat. The room flooded with curses once again. Dumbledore and Voldemort dueled in the middle, the eye in the center of the storm.

"Let's go!" Sirius called, levitating Mr. Potter's body with a flick of his wand. Lily followed suit with Mrs. Potter and grabbed James' hand, pulling him away from where he stood. He had been staring at Dumbledore and Voldemort dueling, like he wanted to join.

They sprinted up the stairs, flinging curses over their shoulders randomly in case they were being followed. The Potter's corpses floated alongside them, like they were on invisible gurneys.

Lily blew the door to the last room on the second floor off with a hasty reductor curse. She pointed her wand at the fireplace and a inferno blazed to life. Lily threw a handful of floo powder into the fireplace and the flames crackled emerald.

She ushered Sirius in first, who was holding tightly to the body of Philip Potter.

"Take him to our house," James croaked, catching the body of his mother gently as Lily released her charm. She pushed James into the fireplace as soon as Sirius had gone.

"Go," she screamed, wheeling around as shouts were heard in the hallway.

"Lily—" James began, wavering in the fireplace.

"The faster you go, the sooner I can too." She aimed a sealing charm at the door just as the telltale whooshing sound indicated that James had disappeared in a breath of flames. She threw the rest of the pot of floo powder in the fireplace without looking, her eyes and wand fixed on the door.

She jumped in and had barely said the words "Potter Manor!" before the door was burst open. She could not tell if the curse that just missed her left ear was green, or if it was merely the color of the fire…

And then she was gone.

~PRD~

Lily crashed inelegantly out of the large fireplace in the parlor of Potter manor. James was waiting for her, one shaking arm around Sirius' shoulder, the other cradled to his chest. Their faces were streaked with sweat and grime, petrified with residual fear and shock. In complete relief, Lily threw her arms around them both and could not stop the tears from leaking out of her eyes.

The boys said nothing as their brave Lily pressed them closer and cried like the world was ending.

Indeed, it most certainly felt like it had.

* * *

A/N: Only a month this time, dear readers! We actually have next chapter completed, it just needs to be edited. So give us some encouragement (we hate editing) and we'll try our best to get it out to you sometime in the next week or so!


	23. Between Raising Hell and Amazing Grace

**Chapter 23  
****Between Raising Hell and Amazing Grace**

The sky outside the window was dotted with stars. They winked jovially over the tops of the swaying trees. It was deceptively peaceful here, Lily thought. Her hands tightened around the warmth of her steaming mug of tea. No one would guess that there was a war raging beyond the meticulously kept grounds of Potter Manor.

Lily didn't know how long she had sat, staring out from her perch at one of the stools in the kitchen. Behind her, the waning fire cast long shadows on the walls that seemed to leer down at her with expressions like skulls.

There was a sharp rap that spilt the silence of the old house like a whip crack. Lily whirled, clutching her wand in her shaking fist, upturning the stool she had been sitting on in the process.

She let out the breath she'd been holding when Aloysius, James' minute owl, blinked back at her from the window over the sink. He rapped once more on the pane impatiently when Lily did not move immediately to let him in.

"Hey Bob," Lily said, adopting Sirius' unrelated nickname for the animal as she undid the latch. She was unable to hold back a half-hearted giggle when the owl soared onto her head, a letter twice his size gripped in his beak.

Lily turned toward the corner of the kitchen where Aloysius' luxurious perch was located. She swatted the bird affectionately when he raked his talons in her hair eagerly. Somehow, Aloysius had learned not to relinquish his letters until he was handed a treat.

Lily supposed she really shouldn't be that surprised. Leave it up to James to give an owl an upbringing as spoiled as his was. Lily's hand was suspended toward the dish of owl treats when a sharp crack sounded directly behind her. Lily screamed, turning on her heel so fast, knocking over the elaborately carved owl perch and almost dislodging Aloysius from her head. The perch hit the floor with a loud thud, as owl treats and food went scattering all over the wooden floor of the kitchen like raindrops. Lily started as she found only empty air where her wand was pointed, at an attacker's heart level. It took her a second to realize that her would-be-attacker was several feet shorter than a human.

"Oh. Hey there Pim," Lily said weakly, greeting the Potter's House Elf whose tennis ball eyes were abnormally large. Lily lowered her wand quickly, "Sorry—"

"Lily, get down!" James burst into the kitchen, his own wand drawn, his usually wild hair sticking up at impossible angles from his hours of sleep.

"Master James is awake, Mistress Lily," Pim said demurely. Lily couldn't help but laugh at the absurdity of the situation. She had asked Pim to notify her if James awoke while she was downstairs, not wanting to worry him with her absence from the bed. Her humor quickly faded as she took in the panicked look which contorted James' drowsy features, knowing full well the reason for it.

"I'm fine, James," Lily reassured him as he came towards her, one shaking hand running through his hair.

"I heard noises. You screamed," James stated in the short sentences he tended to use when not fully awake, a trend Lily had picked up over the course of their many breakfasts together.

"I'm sorry, I'm just jumpy," Lily explained. "Bob startled me and I knocked over my stool, and then I turned when Pim came and ended up knocking over the perch." She pointed her wand at the mess that had been Aloysius' corner and corrected it with an impeccable cleaning charm.

Lily watched as the small, stout elf slunk despondently toward the large closet off the kitchen, put off at not being able to do her job. Pim had become less chipper since Laney, the Potter's other elf, had passed away due to old age since Lily's stay over Christmas. It seemed that everyone in Potter Manor knew of grief these days.

James wrapped one arm around her waist when she shivered as a draft ran through the generally toasty room. With his free hand, he proffered a treat to Aloysius. "Trade?" he asked. The owl promptly dropped the letter on Lily's head before carefully taking the treat and fluttering onto his perch to enjoy the fruit of his labor.

Scowling, Lily reached up caught the parchment which had been sliding down her forehead. "Why does he always have to land on my head?" she asked, disgruntled.

"Well, he usually lands on my arm, but you're so short," James chuckled, but his usual delight in poking fun at her height was noticeably absent. He wrapped his other arm around her, drawing her under his chin. She felt him release an unsteady breath that shuddered through her where they were connected.

"How do you feel?" Lily murmured. She was referring to the splitting headache he had cited hours earlier when they had gone to bed.

She was concerned, as James hadn't seemed to grieve since his initial tears over his parent's bodies. While he had avoided the front room where they were laid out all day when making plans, he hadn't shown any visible sign of emotion until his fit of panic seconds ago.

"Better now," James replied, tightening his grip on her. "Who's the letter from?" Lily shifted slightly in his grip so she could pry open the seal. James rested his head against hers as her eyes scanned the letter.

"It's from Sirius," Lily said.

After their original wave of overwhelming grief, it dawned upon Lily and Sirius that they were completely and utterly unaware as to the whereabouts and current state of Remus and Electra.

In between gasps as he reigned in his grief, James had hurriedly explained how he had forced Electra, none too keen to leave the throws of battle, to race, via floo network, their wounded friend back to Hogsmeade. She had then sent for the swift healing hands of Miss Pomfrey. Sirius had volunteered himself to follow in Electra's footsteps and go back to Hogwarts to see how their friends had fared. Battered, but healing, Remus had spent the last two days recovering slowly in the Hospital Wing.

"Remus is demanding to be released from the Hospital Wing in order to come to…to come to the funeral tomorrow," Lily informed James. "Electra's trying to convince him to stay put along with Peter. He doubts that Remus will listen, though, and says to expect them around eight. That's when McGonagall's arranged for their portkey. There's some very creative terminology for how stubborn Sirius feels Remus is being," Lily held up the letter for James' perusal. "I think 'completely unmoving like one of Professor Binn's lectures' was rather clever, but I may prefer his description of Remus as 'having git-canthropy during the half-moon."

Lily hoped Sirius' letter would at least illicit a smile from James, a hope his best friend had likely shared. The expression James produced was closer to a grimace of pain than a smile. Lily, who had coped with her own grief by going into self-imposed exile, could not protest how James was choosing to deal with the death of his own parents.

"Yes, well Sirius also suffers from git-canthropy most of the time too, so he has no room to be pointing fingers," James said wearily.

"I thought it was a trait necessary for admittance into the Marauders," Lily jibed. "You all seem to possess it in spades."

James gave another smile-grimace at Lily's attempt at humor. "At least Peter's seems to be wearing off," James remarked, pulling the parchment out of her hand and setting it on the nearest counter top. "He better have a good reason we've only seen him during classes and meals."

"I think that may have been in the post-script, but he was running out of parchment and his writing got too small for me to make out," Lily remarked, reaching for the parchment once again to double-check. James stopped her hand with his, entwining their fingers.

"We'll deal with it later," he murmured. "It's late. Let's go back to bed."

"Shouldn't we write them back?" Lily asked, as James began moving toward the doorway. James blinked as if he hadn't even thought his friends might need a response. It wasn't like James to not think of his friends, Lily knew.

"Of course," James said in the tone he tended to use when he was frustrated with himself. "I should tell Remus to stay put. He shouldn't be traveling so soon." He went over to the corner drawer in the kitchen, pulling out a leaf of parchment and a quill and ink-set.

"Here," Lily put her hand over his, drawing the ink pot out of his hand. "Let me write it. You go back to bed." James turned to look at her, his hazel eyes, dulled with pain, were flickering with fear.

"Write it in my room." The words came out like a plea. The rest of the request was unspoken. _With me. Where I can see you. Where I know you are safe._ Lily nodded and James held out his arm.

"Come on Al." The little bird flew obediently to the proffered perch. James brought the bird to his shoulder. Al hopped over, nuzzling his small head into the crook in James' neck, as if sensing his owner needed comfort. Lily, sensing this too, allowed James to lead her from the kitchen.

~PRD~

"See Moony," Sirius said. He put his feet up on the bed and paid no heed to Remus' feeble attempts to push his legs off of the mattress. "James thinks that you've been consumed by your git-canthropy again." Sirius waved the parchment he had just finished reading demonstratively.

Remus glowered at Sirius from where he was propped up with pillows on his bed in the Hospital Wing. He was in a particularly sour mood, having just been administered another foul-tasting round of healing potion. "James most certainly did not say that," he contradicted, "because Lily wrote that letter. I can tell from the handwriting."

From the other side of the bed, Peter snorted appreciatively at Remus' cleverness. The small, pudgy Marauder had been diligently keeping Remus company since he had caught wind of the boy's injury through the school's gossip chain, which moved faster than a professional Quidditch seeker after the snitch. Sirius shot him a warning glare.

Sirius had made it very clear how he had felt about Peter's prolonged absence from their social circle. He was most dissatisfied that Peter had decided their company was only appropriate for class and meals, without any explanation as to what he was doing in his spare time. Sirius intended to lord it over the boy's head that he had been absent when his friends had needed him the most.

"Lily and James both signed the letter," Sirius offered in rebuttal, "and both of them would prefer you to stay here and heal." Sirius smirked triumphantly and wriggled the letter tauntingly. "Would you like to read it yourself?"

Remus lunged for the letter, thankful that the latest round of goblin-piss flavored potion was already doing its work. It was not working fast enough however, as Sirius pulled the letter from his grasp with a lazy flick of his wrist.

"Sirius," Remus said, his inflection giving away his rising frustration.

"Remus," Sirius returned, mockingly. "Look, you can't even reach for this letter without wincing in pain. That gash did a number on you if Poppy couldn't heal you in a couple of hours."

"You couldn't push his feet off the bed either," Peter supplied in a helpful tone. He shifted uncomfortably in seat under the weight of what Sirius and James referred to as Remus' "Professor" face, because the glare reminded the two of their stern, but beloved Transfiguration professor.

"I appreciate your concern for my well-being," Remus said in the weary voice that usually accompanied a particularly exhausting transformation, "but I must ask you, if you were in my place, wouldn't you do the same?"

Peter nodded his head up and down while Sirius threw his hands up in the air.

"Fine. If you want to be a stubborn bastard, I won't stop you as long as you get Poppy's permission." He couldn't hold back his own grin as a satisfied smile blossomed across Remus' face.

That was as good as a yes from Sirius. Convincing Miss Pomfrey, the young nurse, to let Remus attend the funeral would be easy. Despite her attempt at a stern manner, she held a soft spot for her chronic patient and his friends who often visited him the days after full moons. It didn't hurt that Sirius flirted shamelessly with her. This was how he had arranged for their time with Remus to last several hours past visiting time.

"Peter, could you hand me that glass?" Remus asked a few seconds later, indicating the glass of water located on the side table.

"And while you're at it, why don't you tell us where you've been for the past couple of months, Pete." Sirius phrased the statement casually, but there was no mistaking the command behind it.

Remus took the glass out of Peter's pudgy hands, looking over the rim with interest.

"I—well…" Sirius and Remus each raised a tandem eyebrow. "Well, I was failing potions, which you know," Peter began, shooting a watery-eyed look to his friends to see if they remembered. "And well, Professor Slughorn assigned me to remedial potions with Cindy Donahue—"

"That nice girl from Hufflepuff?" Remus asked curiously.

"Yes," Peter replied. "So we sort of started seeing each other outside of lessons too."

There was a small scuffle as Sirius declared, "Impossible!" and Remus upturned his water glass.

"You ditched us because of a girl?" Sirius asked agape, oblivious to Remus' requests to use a drying charm on his blanket.

"Yes. Sorry." Peter attempted the drying charm himself, but only partially succeeded.

"Don't be sorry, Wormtail, that's wonderful." Remus said encouragingly. He shot a quashing look toward Sirius who was still staring at Peter as if looking at the embodiment of the impossible. Indeed, it had seemed very unlikely that Peter would ever get a girlfriend.

"Why didn't you just tell us?" Sirius asked when he finally freed his jaw from its open position.

"You all seemed to have much bigger problems," Peter said meekly, "and it doesn't matter anymore, she broke up with me two days ago." Sirius crossed around the bed to give his friend a pat on the back.

"Chin up, Wormtail," he said consolingly, "there are always plenty of other grindylows in the bogs, as they say. Uh-oh." The clacking of heels on the stone floor indicated that Poppy had decided they had had enough time for one night.

"I really must insist that you leave Mr. Lupin alone to rest," Miss Pomfrey said crossly, as she came up behind them.

"Alright, Poppy," Sirius grinned disarmingly. He was the only student in the school who got away with calling her by her first name. "You always know best when it comes to taking care of Remus, here." She blushed scarlet enough to match her carrot colored hair. "Come on, Pete," Sirius pulled the younger boy up and pushed him toward the exit.

"Goodnight Mr. Black," the nurse clipped, turning to busy herself by preparing Remus to take a different nasty concoction.

"Oh, and Poppy," Sirius said as he turned to follow Peter out of the exit, "I'll be picking up Remus to attend a funeral tomorrow, so he needs to look his best. I think a sponge bath might be in order," he gave a bark of laughter and sprinted off down the hall to the tune of Remus' outraged shouting.

~PRD~

"I'll be upstairs in a minute Pete," Sirius said, clapping the squat boy on the shoulders as they reached the bottom staircase.

Peter paused, turning around to blink confusedly at his friend. "Where are you going?"

"I just have to do something really quick. Set the alarm clock for us, will you?" Sirius evaded, breathing a sigh of relief as the boy nodded so hard that his pudgy cheeks shook, and trundled up the stairs.

Sirius pulled James' invisibility cloak from his bag, grateful that James had forced it upon him so that he would not have to risk capture by Filch in order to see Remus outside of visiting hours.

He pulled the cloak around him and headed for the portrait hole, set on taking a late-night run around the lake. He hoped it would clear his mind so that he might get a peaceful night, devoid of visions of green bolts of light arching toward his best friend. Then, there were the images of Remus, bleeding on the ground, his surrogate mother floating lifelessly alongside him. Somehow, no matter what gruesome pictures his nightmares began with, they always seemed to end with a brown-haired girl, soaked in the blood that simply would not stop exiting her tattered body, smiling up at him, her blue eyes bright in the darkness.

"Going somewhere?" Sirius froze, one foot suspended outside of the portrait hole as a hand grabbed at his arm. The cloak fell down as he whirled around, panicked.

"Merlin fucking Grindlewald! Don't do that to me, _Stephen_!" Sirius spat out Electra's real name in retaliation for her little scare stunt. "I almost hexed the pants off of you."

Electra rolled her eyes. "A considerable feat seeing as your wand is still in your pocket. " She paused, her hand tightening painfully around his bicep. "Wherever you're going, take me with you." The words were the closest thing to desperation Sirius had heard from her usually whip-quick, sarcastic mouth.

"Dressed in that?" Sirius eyed her scarlet nightdress and dressing gown, unable to miss the way the trail of silky material clung to her legs as she shifted her weight onto one foot. When he finally managed to snap his eyes back to her face, he noted the look of extreme discomfort on it.

"I hadn't planned on coming down here," she snapped a second before her cross expression tumbled.

She stared up at him, her eyes so large and hopeful in her unguarded face. The expression was so similar to the one he had seen so many times on Spencer's face and failed to understand its true weight, that seeing it on another girl's face was like a jinx straight to his gut.

"I just…the room was so empty. Then I saw you disappear…" She moved so close to him that he could feel the silk sleeves of her dressing gown brush across his forearms, where he had rolled up his sleeves.

"Electra," his voice was hoarse as he tilted his head down to meet her dark gaze. "What?"

"I don't want to be alone," she broke his gaze as if the admonition was somehow embarrassing, when her eyes returned to his, they were flashing with the steely determination he had found characteristic of all three of his favorite Gryffindor girls. "When I'm alone I remember. I want to forget. We'll forget together." Her red fingernails slowly scraped a pathway down his collarbone to his chest in the almost nonexistent space between them.

"What exactly are you asking?" Sirius croaked as the part of him that had been chasing after her for years alit with lustful expectation.

She grinned, the predatory confidant smile of a black widow spider that had just ensnared a juicy fly. Gone was the uncertain, honest Electra of moments ago.

"You," she stated, arching her neck in order to seal her lips over his. "Me." Those dangerous red fingernails twined themselves in his hair, pulling his mouth back down to hers. "Empty Room." Sirius groaned, his lips tugging insistently at hers, as she barely got the words out. He turned, pressing her into the wall by the portrait hole. She gasped as his teeth nipped her earlobe, one impossibly long leg twining itself around his hips and pressing him toward her. "Right now."

Sirius threw the invisibility cloak over them both, as they stumbled out into the abandoned moonlit corridor. He fumbled with the knob of the first room he managed to catch out the periphery of his vision, as his lips were still occupied with Electra's. He pulled her into the space. She threw the invisibility cloak off of them. Sirius cast a locking and silencing charm at the door in between ragged breaths, as Electra's hands worked at the buttons on his shirt.

His hand surged up her caramel thighs, which he had envisioned wrapped around him so many times, feeling the muscles contract beneath his touch. Electra bit back a moan, staring up at him with eyes black and dilated with desire.

Sirius pulled her against him, seeking more contact. He tried to forget, for that one moment, that he wished that the hair tangled around his fingers was milk chocolate brown, and the eyes staring up at him were a brilliant blue.

~PRD~

"Are you alright?" Remus asked gently. He placed a comforting hand on Lily's back.

Lily turned her head to bestow upon Remus a grateful smile from where she leant against the porch railing. The motion made her hair, red as flame against the black of her mourning robes, brush against his hand.

"I'm fine," Lily replied in a tone which told Remus she was anything but. "I suppose I should go check on the guests again." She made to push off the railing, but the hand on her back moved to keep her in place.

"You're allowed to rest," Remus said, noting the dark bags which marred her peach and ivory skin. "James doesn't expect you to play hostess."

Lily collapsed back against the railing. "I know," she replied, picking at a thread on the cuff of her robe. "I just…I know how it feels to lose your parents. Most of it you have to sort through on your own. Not being able to do more to help him. It just makes me feel so useless." She pushed off of the railing and surveyed Remus with watery eyes. "If I hadn't called them, they wouldn't have come and they …" She wiped furiously at the tears running down her cheek.

Her face met the soft material of the worn sweater under Remus' robes as he pulled her under his chin.

"Then we most likely would not be standing here," Remus closed his eyes as Lily let out a sob he was sure she had been repressing for days. "The Potters loved James more than anything. I know that wherever they are they do not regret that they kept him safe."

He held onto to his own unvoiced guilt at having allowed his friends to place themselves into such a situation. Most of all, he tried to bury the traitorous feelings that swelled within him at having Lily pressed so close.

"How can so much change in so little time?" Lily muttered against his tear-soaked tie.

Remus, who could remember back to the time, mere months ago, when Lily would barely speak to James, when he had held a very different girl in his arms, when Spencer had laughed with him in the kitchens, did not answer.

"We'll all stay together," Remus said firmly. "That will not change."

Lily nodded, her tears subsiding. "I always forget that I still have a family," Lily laughed pathetically at her own attempt to lighten the mood. She looked up at Remus, tears brimming once more in her eyes. "I love you, Remus." Her arms tightened like a Devil's Snare around him.

"And I you," Remus responded, though the intent was markedly different from hers.

"I love you both," Sirius interjected, strolling up to them with his hands in his pockets. Lily whapped him with the back of her hand for what she perceived as mockery.

"Hey," Sirius protested. "I'm serious."

Lily let out a stifled cross between a laugh and a sob before launching herself at Sirius. "I know you are, you big idiot."

Sirius placed a brotherly peck on the diminutive red-head's hair. "Have you seen James?"

"He's where we left him, I believe," Remus informed Sirius, giving him a knowing glance.

He clapped Remus on the shoulder supportively. "I'll go talk to him," he said as the side door opened and Electra and Peter emerged. Sirius stared at Electra like he'd been electrocuted. The two turned and hurried off in opposite directions. Peter scurried in Electra's wake as she instructed him on where to find the cloaks of the leaving guests.

"What's wrong with those two?" Lily asked. She accepted the handkerchief Remus held out for her.

Remus cleared his throat delicately. "I haven't the faintest idea," he replied mildly.

"Liar," Lily accused, wiping her eyes and allowing curiosity to overcome grief for the moment. "Tell me what you're hiding." She stood on her tiptoes, attempting to look more imposing and was gratified when Remus laughed.

Remus flashed her a pointed look.

"No," Lily responded. Remus nodded solemnly and winced when he shifted his weight and jarred his injured side.

"I believe that what has been a long time coming between Electra and Sirius came," he winced at his choice of verbage.

"No," Lily repeated, gaping at him.

"I'm fairly certain," Remus pulled at his collar uncomfortably.

"That would explain why his shirt's buttoned all the way up. He's hiding the marks." Lily appeared to contemplate this seriously for a moment. "Shouldn't they be…closer afterwards?"

If she had slept with James, Lily highly doubted that she would be avoiding him like the plague the next day. Unless something awful happened. Her stomach seemed to soar and sink simultaneously at the combination of the two thoughts.

"I believe it has complicated things immensely between them. I am not quite certain they know where to go from here," Remus' tone was analytical, as if he was measuring potion ingredients, not discussing his friend's love lives. "I do hope they can sort it out."

Lily nodded, making a mental note to corner Electra and force her to confide everything that had happened between her and Sirius. She turned to head back into the house to see to the mourners who had attended the Potter's memorial that morning.

She shuddered, not from the slight chill of the early afternoon breeze, but from the images her conversation with Remus had conjured.

~PRD~

James wiped furiously at his eyes as the crackling of a twig heralded the end of his time alone.

"If the sight of you drunk off your ass hasn't scared me away before now, the sight of your ugly face crying won't," Sirius stated matter-of-factly as he stood next to his best friend. "Everyone's sodding off, as well they should be," he added, wrapping a bracing arm around James' shoulders. He stared down at the freshly carved marble monuments which denoted that Phillip and Catherine Potter had joined the ranks in the family plot at the edge of the manor's generous property.

James opened his mouth to speak, but no words presented themselves. "I know," Sirius said. James turned, shocked to see Sirius weeping unashamedly next to him. "They were my parents in a way too."

It was a long while before either one of them spoke again as the Potter's only son, and the second son they had adopted grieved together for the loss of their parents.

~PRD~

"I feel like a just played a record World Cup match," James sighed as he bent over his armoire, selecting a t-shirt.

Lily, who had privately divested herself of her formal garments, was already propped up against the headboard clad in royal purple pajamas. She turned her flushed face toward her hands. Now was not the time to be flustered over, or ogle, her boyfriend's bare chest.

Lily slid down the bed until her head was resting on the pillows. James slid under the green comforter, which he had admitted to choosing because it matched the color of Lily's eyes. His arm wrapped around her. "Are you alright?" he asked, staring down at her flushed face.

"I'm fine," she murmured, gesturing for him to lie down.

James gave a contented hum as he rested his head under Lily's chin. Her hand automatically came up to comb its way through his ever-unruly hair. Lily surveyed James' face, still stained pink by the tears he had shed that afternoon. She felt like every nerve in her body constricted with the myriad of feelings triggered by the boy in her arms.

"Thank you for everything you did today," James' lips moved against the skin at the base of her throat, left bare by her pajamas.

"You already thanked me," Lily reminded him. She sincerely hoped he couldn't hear the change in her heartbeat at the contact of his lips against her, but if he did, he refrained from commenting.

"I know, but I really appreciate it." His hand had begun tracing random symbols on her side.

"I'd do more if I could," Lily admitted, adjusting her head on the pillow to meet his eyes, which were obscured by the light glancing off the lenses.

James pressed up to place a slow, chaste kiss on her lips before resuming his previous position.

In fact, Lily had been thinking of what more she could do all day. Besides being there for him in terms of emotional support, Lily had not really come up with any productive ideas, save for one. She had gotten it from Electra when she had cornered her friend before the others left to catch their portkey back to Hogwarts. When Lily demanded to know the truth of whether she had slept with Sirius, the other girl's answer had been unapologetic. When asked why, Electra had merely said, "Because I wanted to. And we both wanted to forget."

The thought had followed Lily all day like a pesky Cornish Pixie. It wasn't that she had not thought about having sex with James before. Hell, she had fantasized about it more than was probably healthy. However, there had never seemed to be a good time to broach the subject…until now. Lily's heart thrummed like an instrument string that had just been plucked as her nerves sang in accompaniment. Was she ready for this? Two conflicting answers responded to the thought.

James was talking to her again, and through her haze of inner conflict she registered the electric sensation of his lips moving across her skin.

Suddenly, he was looking down at her again, bloodshot eyes concerned. Her Gryffindor courage rapidly snapped to attention at the worn look on his face. If it would help him forget…comfort him for even a short time…

"I would do anything for you James," she murmured sitting up on her elbows until her face was inches from his.

James' forehead creased and Lily could tell that he was perplexed by her sudden declaration. "I would do anything for you too," Honesty rang through his words, laced with confusion. He was unsure of what he had done to put such a look blazing across her features.

He didn't have much time to remain confused, as Lily's mouth collided with his. Lily gently tugged on his bottom lip with her teeth and was rewarded when James granted her more access.

Her brain went into overdrive as James took control of the kiss, coaxing her farther on top of him. What happened next? This was familiar territory, but she only knew of the next step in theory, not in practice.

Clothes, she thought, there were too many clothes. She sat back, breaking away from James. He stared up at her, his expression of pure adoration. She leaned over and kissed his nose before removing his glasses.

"Lily," James protested, sitting up to meet her blurry form. "You know that I can't see—"

"You don't need to see," she countered, capturing his adorable pout with her own swollen lips. James hands lifted her skillfully, settling her more comfortably across his lap. She wrapped her legs around his waist, gasping into James' mouth as the friction shot straight to her core.

Lily's hands trailed their way to the hem of his shirt, yanking insistently. James didn't resist as she flung the garment aside. "Lily," James gasped as her fingers tentatively trailed the path his shirt has just traveled. Frustration at his inability to decipher her reactions faded as Lily's mouth worked down his jaw.

Lily vaguely wondered if she was going about this the right way. Shouldn't he have gotten the hint to start taking her clothes off by now? Maybe he had, Lily thought, as James' hands slid under her shirt, tracing arcs of electricity up her sides. He brushed the side of her breast and Lily let out a small keening sound she had not known she was capable of making.

She took her hands off of James to undo the buttons on her pajama top. James froze as it fell open, his hands dropping down to safer regions. Hardly able to see the sight before him, James still closed his eyes against temptation.

"Merlin," he rasped, turning his face away from her seeking mouth. He buried his face in her collarbone. "Lily, we can't…I didn't realize."

Filled with a sudden, consuming sense of shame, Lily pushed against his shoulders, attempting to dislodge herself from his lap.

James' arms constricted, forcing her tighter against his chest. The sensation of skin against skin was too much and Lily's throat betrayed her with another sound which she immediately regretted after it escaped. Embarrassed, Lily renewed her efforts for freedom.

"No. Listen," James begged. "It's not that I don't want to," he shook his head against her throat. "I've wanted to for years now. I'm sure you've noticed by now." He shifted slightly beneath her to prove his point.

He clutched at the hands that scrabbled at his shoulders as Lily arched into his movement. "Lily, please," he murmured. "I'm trying to control myself…"

"Why?" Lily asked, searching his anguished face.

"Because it can't happen like this," James replied. He blinked at the blur of her face. "I know I'm bound to mess up a lot of things in the future, but I'm determined to do this in the right order."

"Which is what?" Lily whispered. Had she violated some unknown relationship sex rule no one had told her about?

James motioned for his glasses, which Lily bent over to retrieve from the nightstand. Stifling a groan at the blurred sight of her still unbuttoned shirt flapping open, James slid the lenses on his nose and almost took them right off again. The cleared vision brought the ivory porcelain skin of Lily's bare breasts into clear focus. Swallowing tightly, James reached out and re-buttoned the buttons on her top, his fingers lingering much longer than necessary.

Not helping, he thought. He lifted her to sit beside him on the bed, keeping an arm around her to make sure she did not run for the door. "The right order is," he paused to turn her face toward him, "that first I tell you I love you."

If James Potter could capture one memory of Lily Evans in perfect relief for the rest of his life, it would be this one. Her hair was disheveled and her mouth was swollen from his kisses. Her green eyes were dark with desire and wide with surprise. She had never looked more beautiful.

"And then," James pressed on, his gut twisting painfully when she didn't return the sentiment, "when I do have my wicked way with you, it will be special. Not because we almost died facing He-Who–Must-Not-Be-Named, or because you're trying to comfort me or something." He squeezed her fingers, trying to ignore the hollow feeling in his heart.

"Your wicked way with me?" Lily questioned, as she tucked her legs under the covers. Well, at least she's not bolting from the room, James thought morbidly.

"I've had plenty of time to think about what I would do if the occasion ever arose," James forced a grin. "It's going to be very wicked."

Lily rolled on her side, pinning him with her gaze. "Soon?"

"Soon," he concurred, making his own way under the covers.

"And James," her hand shot out to stop him as he went to remove his glasses. She shifted to make sure she was in his line of sight before she said, "I love you, too."

~PRD~

Someone was screaming. He recognized Lily's voice calling his name. He tried to reach for her, but the ground trembled beneath him. He fell—and started awake.

Lily was leaning over him, shaking him frantically. Her cries were echoed by the deafening shriek that vibrated the walls of the room.

"What is it?" Lily asked, as James grabbed his glasses from the bedside table.

"The alarm!" James said, fighting off the covers and skidding over to the window. "The outer wards have been breached." He pressed his face to the glass, squinting into the darkness.

Beside him, Lily gasped as the shadowy figures emerged from the trees, the moonlight glinting off of their bone white masks. In front of them, a lone outline glided.

James stood frozen in shock as Lord Voldemort sailed through the boundary line for the next warding spell as though there was nothing there but air. "How?" he stammered, before launching himself away from the window. "Out. We have to get out." James snatched his wand from where it lay next to the candle.

"Why can't we apparate?" Lily tugged his hand as she led their way down the stairs, moving so quickly he almost tripped trying to catch up.

"Dad put an anti-apparition ward on the house. We have to get outside." He cast a reductor curse on the back door, blowing the antique wood into slivers. "Get out of here. I'll hold them off," James directed, panicking. He shoved Lily out the door but she clung to him, forcing him to stumble down the porch steps with her.

"No," Lily cried," I won't leave you."

"What a touching scene."

James whirled to face the source of the high, cruel voice.

Voldemort had materialized like a wisp of smoke in front of them. His scarlet eyes were fixed on James. His milk white skin seemed to glow in the moonlight, matching the flesh of the regiment of rotting corpses standing behind him. He had brought inferi.

James positioned himself in front of Lily as the Death Eaters they had seen earlier rounded the sides of the house.

"How noble," Voldemort said silkily. "Attempting to shield your _love_." He said the word as if it were a great insult. "It is a pity it will do you no good. Ah," he interrupted himself lightly, "I forget my manners. I must apologize for disrupting your sleep."

The Death Eaters chucked at their leader's taunting of the two terrified teenagers, facing a number of enemies they couldn't hope to defeat. Anger at their cowardice sprang up to combat the fear that filled James.

"You must know why I have come," Voldemort continued softly, yet his voice carried in the stillness of the night.

"Actually, I don't," James snarled. He felt Lily's hand, tighten around his arm.

"Do not dare to disrespect the Dark Lord!" A jet of red light sliced through the air.

"_Proteg_o!" Lily shouted. The curse bounced harmlessly off of the flawless shield charm she had produced in the knick of time.

"Fool!" Voldemort turned, leveling his wand at the zealous Death Eater. "_Crucio_." The offender screamed in agony as the unforgivable curse ripped through her. "Do you not wait for my orders?"

"Yes my lord," the female panted as the curse subsided. "Forgive me my Lord, I thought only of you." The figured bowed low on the ground before him.

"You are forgiven my faithful servant. This once," Voldemort smiled beatifically. The expression somehow made his snakelike features even more horrific. "As I was saying," Voldemort turned his attention back to James and Lily, "after you and your little friends decided to destroy our former headquarters, we decided it was only fitting that you provide the next location."

"No thanks," James said smartly.

One second he was wondering if he could somehow apparate out without a curse hitting him from one of the surrounding Death Eaters, and the next he was floating. A voice filled his head, telling him to bow…to offer up the house to the Dark Lord. His spine began to curve when a very different voice interrupted.

"Don't do it James," Lily's harsh whisper cut through the repeating mantra of _bow and offer me the house_. It was a lifeline to his own will. "Whatever he wants you do to, don't do it."

"No!" James cried as his will to follow Lily's instructions overcame the curse. "You took my parents. You will not take our house!"

"And how do you plan to defend your house?" Voldemort's amusement at their predicament elicited another derisive laugh from his followers.

"I don't."

James spared a moment's glance to the house where he grew up. It was where his Dad had taught him to ride a broom in the backyard, where his mother let him cut carrots for the stew while she told him of her day. It was where he had opened Christmas presents, and brought his best friend when he needed a family… It was the house where he had kissed Lily for the first time. He knew there was little chance he would survive the next few minutes. But he would die knowing that Potter Manor had never been anything but a place of joy, of love, and his family.

He turned to meet Lily's eyes. "I love you," he whispered before he pointed his wand at the house and whispered the word to set it on fire.

Beside him, Lily muttered, "_Incendio_." Her powerful charm raced after his own before she muttered, "_Impervius_."

Death Eaters attempted to douse the flames with water charms, their outraged cries splitting the night, but Lily's charm ability was too powerful, and the house repelled water. Flames licked across the rafters and over the porch railing.

"I will not suffer this insolence!" Voldemort cried, brandishing his wand. Green light was racing toward James, when a weight collided with him, in mid-dodge. Lily had thrown herself on top of him, knocking him to the ground.

There was a crash as the heat of the blaze caused the lower windows to explode outward, glass raining down over them as they lay sprawled on the ground. The Death Eaters retreated a few paces in the commotion, as a high wail came through the hole where the windows had just been. James turned his head to the house, horrified.

"Pim!" he muttered. He had forgotten to tell the house elf to get out. He had forgotten his owl.

There was a loud crack, so close to his ear that he thought it would cause him to go deaf and something small and odd-feeling wrapped around his shoulder. The last thing his saw was Voldemort lower his wand before he vanished from sight.

~PRD~

They landed with a crash in a dusty lane. James rolled to the side freeing himself from Lily who was still being held in the clutches of –

"Pim," James sighed in relief. The elf had responded to its name like a call, appearing where he had summoned.

Gasping for breath, Lily pushed herself up on her elbows. She crawled toward the elf who had darted over to the nearest object, a wrought iron gate, and begun punishing herself for acting without orders.

"Bad Pim!" the elf screamed, knocking its head against the bars. "Master James did not tell you to apparate!"

"James," Lily coughed, struggling to pull the elf away from the bars. "James, make her stop."

"Pim,I order you to stop punishing yourself." The elf stood stock still, turning to face him. Lily, tears coursing down her cheeks, pulled the elf into her chest.

"Thank you," she said.

A large squawk interrupted her as the elf's neat toga moved. Pim tugged at the fabric and Aloysius flew out, shedding feathers. He flew around in indignant circles as if demanding recompense for his rough treatment before landing in Lily's hair.

"Al!" James cried in relief. He struggled to his feet, lifting the house elf that had been scratched by the owls' talons in his arms. Lily joined him, staring up in disbelief, her face bleeding from where shards of glass had embedded themselves in her skin. Pim had apparated them to the front gates of Hogwarts.

"Good girl, Pim," James murmured clutching the House Elf to his chest who was covering her eyes with her oversized ears in shame. She lifted one ear slightly to view James through one eye. "You saved us. You saved all of us."

"Pim do well?" The elf asked timidly. Al squawked from his perch on Lily's head.

"Very well," James replied, wrapping his fingers around Lily's.

"We should try to contact someone to open the gates," Lily began when she was cut off by a voice shouting, "It's them!"

"Mr. Black! Mr. Lupin! You were just injured!" Professor McGonagall's unmistakable voice cut across the grounds as the flood of light indicated that the entrance hall doors were flung open. Two figures raced across the dark grounds toward the gates.

"James!" Sirius called, ignoring Professor McGonagall's reprimands. The two sprinted toward the gates. "We thought—we got a patronus from the Prewett brothers saying they saw the Dark Mark above the house, that it was on fire," Sirius panted as he came to a halt. Remus, clutching at his injured side, flung open the gate.

"Look at you," Remus said as the boys pulled the small group into the sanctuary of the castle grounds, "You're bleeding everywhere."

"Glass," James muttered.

"What happened?" Sirius demanded. "How'd they get through the wards?"

"I don't know," James replied wearily as they slowly began making their way toward the castle entrance where two figures stood framed in the doorway.

"There were five layers to those wards," Sirius continued, ignoring Remus' pointed looks, "and only invited people received the spell codes to get in the inner four unescorted…" Remus frowned at this statement, as it sparked a notion too terrible to be true.

"I'm sorry about your house, James," Lily murmured as they neared the doorway where Professor McGonagall stood next to Dumbledore. The only betrayal of the latter's concern was the lack of twinkle in his blue eyes over his half-moon spectacles.

"It's alright," James replied, squeezing her hand. "I have everything I need right here."

* * *

A/N: So there you have Chapter 23! If there were any grammatical errors and/or typos we apologize. You try editing twenty-five pages and getting everything perfect.

We are nearing the home stretch! Three more chapters and an epilogue to go. Give us motivation to get Chapter 24 ready to go (it's pretty close) and review!


	24. The Heart Brings You Back

**Chapter 24  
The Heart Brings You Back**

"James, how soon is soon going to be?" Lily asked innocently. She glanced up from the pages of her Potions book long enough to catch him blanch. Downcast, she turned her attention back to her studies.

James surveyed the side of his girlfriend's face, the only part of her he could see from her position, propped up against him where he sat on the end of the sofa. Her legs were stretched out over the rest of scarlet expanse of cushions. He cleared his throat and quickly adjusted his gaze toward his own book, which lay open on the sofa's arm. "Why are you asking?"

He was glad that they were alone in the Common Room. Even though no one else knew what "soon" meant, he didn't think allowing his fellow students to see him this flustered would help him get through this conversation.

"Because I've been waiting months, James," Lily said evenly, flipping the page. He could see the muscle in her jaw clench as she worked to keep her face neutral. "I was just curious if our definitions of the word soon differed." She glanced up at him.

"I didn't want to distract us from our studies. Exams start next week." He thumped his potions book, as if it had been his choice to be studying for their first exam, late on a Friday night.

In actuality, James had been waiting forever for the right time to bring up the subject of sex or "soon" as had become its euphemism so many weeks ago on the night of his parent's funeral. However, the right time never seemed to present itself. While seducing Lily Evans had always been easy in his daydreams, it was much more difficult in reality.

Lily closed her book with a huff. "Please," she protested, "you hardly ever study and you've spent the last twenty minutes staring at me instead of studying for our N.E.W.T. on Monday." She twisted her fingers on the cover of the book, tracing the grotesque illustration. "If you've been avoiding the subject because you don't want to…or something…"

"What? No!" James exclaimed, beginning to laugh so hard that he almost dislodged Lily from his lap. Not _want_ to? What nonsense.

"I'm glad you find this so amusing," Lily said sourly, making to get up from his lap.

"I'm sorry," James said quickly, fighting off his last chuckles. He dabbed at his watering eyes behind his glasses and guided her back down to her previous pose. "It's just that I thought I made myself very clear on that issue the last time we spoke about this… and, you know, the six years before that."

"I knew you needed some time to deal with everything so I haven't brought it up before," she said quietly, like she was not sure what to say now that he had thrown her off track with his unexpected laughter.

He was grateful to her. The pain of his parent's death was still raw, but he had remained functioning thanks to Lily. Having experienced how debilitating such loss could be, she always knew the right thing to say or do. Things had almost seemed normal, the past few weeks…well, with the exception of the evil snake-faced overlord on the loose. James opened his mouth to reply, but no words came out.

"Why hasn't soon been sooner?" Lily demanded.

James groaned and let his head flop backward on the sofa, as the horrible deep-seated truth came out. "Because I'm afraid that I'll disappoint you."

There, he thought, I said it.

Lily dropped her book onto the floor and shifted onto her knees so she could stare down into his face. "If that's all it is, I don't know why you're worried about it." Her face flushed, clashing with her hair but she held his gaze. "It's not like I have anything to compare it to." She smiled reassuringly down at him, as if that solved everything. But it did not.

James mumbled something that Lily assumed were supposed to be separate words. "Idonteither."

"Pardon?" she asked brightly as James lifted her head up and stared her straight in her eye.

"I don't either."

Lily stared at him, dropping back on her heels. "But your—"

"My reputation?" James said dryly. "It was grossly exaggerated."

"But you've dated half the school!" Lily exclaimed.

James glowered at her. "Doesn't mean I did anything besides snog half the school. Sometimes, never even that." Lily was staring at him like he had just told her she had failed her Charms exam. "Look, because Sirius and I are best friends, they thought I had to be like him in that respect. So when nothing happened, some girls lied because they didn't want to be considered the one I hadn't wanted. And I let them… because well, I thought it made me look good."

"So you're…"

"A virgin," James finished for her.

"And Sirius?" Lily cocked an eyebrow, though she was pretty sure she already knew the answer.

"Everything you've heard about him is completely true. Including the latest bit of rumor about him and Electra getting caught knocking over a shelf in Slughorn's detention when he left them alone." He smiled when Lily laughed and curled into his side.

"Why?" she gazed up at him through her long, black-painted lashes.

"What's with all the questions tonight?" James tugged on a strand of her hair playfully. "Why what, exactly?"

"Why did you wait so long to have sex?" she said bluntly.

James blushed furiously, debating whether or not to lie, but figured she had been honest with him on the subject. She deserved the truth.

"I guess I just sort of held onto the hope that one day you might come around." He could feel her cheek shift against his chest as she smiled. "And if you never did, I wanted it to be with a girl that at least meant something to me."

James' face was so red that it was hard to tell where his cheek ended and the top of Lily's head began. He could not quite decide if he was absolutely mortified at his confession, or only slightly humiliated. He had just admitted that he had saved himself in the vain hope that the girl of his dreams would be his first. Both sentiments were banished by pure jubilation when Lily muttered a quiet "Thank you." She punctuated the statement with a kiss to the underside of his jaw.

"For what?" he asked, as she burrowed closer.

"For waiting for me. Not just in this, but for not giving up hope." Her fingers skated lightly down the bare forearms that encircled her. "If someone had told me last year that I'd be so in love with you, I would have given that girl and her friend one hundred galleons against the statement. I'm glad I would have lost." She kissed him, soft and sweet. "I'm sorry I took so long."

"It's alright," James replied, tucking her hair behind her ear. "You were always worth it to me. Besides, you're sexy when you're miffed." He grinned rakishly down at her and waggled his eyebrows. She smacked him playfully, giggling.

She sat up and straddled his waist, arching one eyebrow in challenge.

"What's this?" James asked, grinning in answer.

"I'm just contemplating exactly how I'm going to defile you." She tilted her head to one side, studying him.

James' mouth went dry at the mental image. "Defile me?" he quipped. "I thought you just said that you lack prior experience in defilement." He kissed her to which she responded eagerly. "I would also like to add that I would prefer to be ravished."

"My lack of experience may be true," Lily kissed his cheek, "but I can always do research." She placed her lips by his ear, voice dripping with promise. "I am really, really, good at research."

"You do have a reputation for being very thorough," James returned huskily. He was delighted at the reappearance of this side of Lily, which he hadn't seen often enough due to outside circumstances. Lily had always been fiery and self-assured, but this small seductress sprawled across him was something he'd only had glimpses of in the past.

So when she said, "What shall I do with you?"

James simply said, "Marry me."

They both froze, staring at each other in shock. Lily had expected to hear it about as much as James had intended to say it. But the words had slipped out, and James realized with a peaceful sense of certainty that they rang with truth.

"Would you?" James asked after a long pause filled only with the crackling of the fire. The turn in the conversation had his heart pounding.

"Are you joking?" Lily asked uncertainly, drawing her arms away from his neck slightly.

"Not in the slightest," James said, and the words rang with truth.

"Are you proposing?" Lily asked incredulously, falling backward. James caught her before she fell on the floor and drew her close again.

"No," James said in a moment of panic. This wasn't at all how he had planned to propose to Lily. In his head, his proposal had always been grand and romantic, a proposal worthy of the Marauder track record. He did not even have a ring to give her. His mother's ring was safely tucked away in a velvet box up in his trunk, biding its time until it sat on Lily's finger.

"Then what…" she fell silent as his hand came up to cup her cheek.

"I'm asking you," he fumbled over the choice of words, "that if I were to ask you to marry me in the near future, what would the answer be?"

"Not at graduation," Lily said so softly, James almost did not hear her.

"Was that a yes?" James stammered in disbelief.

Lily nodded, unable to not return his broad, goofy smile. "Just don't do anything during our commencement ceremony," she said sternly. "I mean it." James nodded, eager to comply with any demand that would lead to that ring on Lily's finger, now she seemed warmed up to the idea.

"You also have to promise me one other thing," Lily said, her fingers tangling in his hair.

"Anything," James murmured and meaning it.

"Soon will be very soon."

"After exams are over," James said fervently. He bent forward to kiss her, but Lily slid out of his grasp, picking up her potions book and making her way toward the girl's staircase. He sat there, staring at her with his mouth open. "Lily!"

She laughed wickedly and began to run, but her effort was half-hearted, and James chased her down in a few long strides, pinning her to the wall next to the girl's staircase and proceeding to kiss her goodnight until he was entirely satisfied.

~PRD~

"Huh," James said, taking a contemplative bite of his toast as his eyes scanned the official piece of parchment that had just been delivered to him during breakfast by a large tawny owl.

"What is it?" Sirius asked as he switched sides to look at the parchment, easily distracted from reviewing Potions notes over Remus' shoulder.

"I own a house," James said, the surprise evident in his tone. "A different house, in Godric's Hollow." He pulled some photographs out of the envelope and handed them to Sirius. "Apparently it's been in the family for generations; we just kept it and built Potter Manor."

"I can see why," Sirius said as he surveyed the photographs.

"It requires a bit of work," Remus observed, always tactful. The house was old, which was evidenced by the pictures of stone walls covered in faded tapestries that probably hadn't been fashionable when they had been installed. The floorboards looked uneven and worn. Remus handed the photographs to Lily and Electra across the table.

"It's better than the nothing the rest of us have got," Electra pointed out. "You wouldn't have to pay rent, just fix it up a little."

"I think it has possibilities," Lily said defensively, staring at the pictures of the quaint two story cottage with its stone walls and peeling whitewashed gate framing the incredibly overgrown garden. She smiled at James and returned the pictures to him before returning for more superfluous review of her Potions book.

"I have an uncle who's really good at carpentry spells," Peter said around a mouthful of bacon, beady eyes glancing up from his messy stack of Potions notes.

James looked up and smiled warmly at Peter. "You think you could owl him for me when you get a chance?"

Peter nodded, looking thrilled to have said the right thing for once.

"What are you up to?" Lily asked, sighing as Aloysius landed on her plate to deliver the paper. She handed the owl a bit of bacon, abandoning her breakfast, which was now covered with feathers.

"Me?" James said, squashing his laughter at his owl's antics. He affixed a saint-like expression to his face. "I'm never up to anything."

Sirius snorted into his toast as Lily's eyes rolled skyward. "Any news from home?" Remus inquired politely of Electra, who was scanning a thick sheaf of parchment that had been delivered by a small black owl.

"We better go," Electra said oddly, stuffing the letter she had been reading in her bag abruptly. "We've got fifteen minutes until the first exam starts."

There was the sound of wood scraping against stone as the group rose resignedly from the peace of their breakfast. "This is it boys," Sirius stated loudly as they all grabbed their bags and headed toward the doors.

"This is the beginning," Remus intoned dryly.

"Of the end!" James added dramatically, brandishing his Potions book like a sword.

"Sirius says the same thing at the start of exams every year," Peter explained squeakily to Lily and Electra, who hadn't even batted an eye at the boys' behavior.

Sirius turned around. "Here's the part where we all say, 'Once more into the breach,'" he stage whispered.

Laughing, they all chorused, "Once more into the breach!" and followed James and Sirius, brandished book and all, to the dungeons.

~PRD~

The day they finished their last exam, the Marauders and their ladies had spent a festive afternoon on the lawn. They played tickle the giant squid, spell tag, and lounging under their favorite beech tree.

The celebratory mood had continued during dinner, when the Maruders, who had somehow managed to get a hold of a large order of the wizard crackers usually reserved for Christmas, distributed them among the seventh years. The students had spent their meal singing bawdy wizard drinking songs while bedecked in silly hats. Everyone was having such a good time that it took several hours for the student body to trickle out of the hall and back to their respective dormitories.

Lily had just returned from stashing her pink princess hat, noisemaker, and new pet mouse upstairs. She had refused to let it become bait for one of the cats, regardless of how amusing James found her soft-heartedness. She emerged from the staircase, fully expecting the festivities to continue in the Common Room. She was not expecting to be met by James, who grabbed her hand.

"Come on," he said, dragging her toward the portrait hole. "We have Head Boy and Girl stuff to do."

Lily cast a mystified glance at her friends, who were studiously continuing their raucous game of team wizard chess. Sirius caught her eye with a knowing look, before smugly wrapping an arm around Electra while she argued with his rook.

"James, we're not on—" He clapped a hand over her mouth as they exited the Common Room. He did not remove it until they had rounded the corner into the relative concealment of an alcove.

"I know we don't have patrol tonight," James said, running a hand through his hair. Lily glowered, as usual, at the action. "I have a surprise," James hurried on when Lily opened her mouth to ask why he was nervous.

"What is it?" Lily peered up at him.

"You'll see when we get there." A mischievous grin split his features as his hand came up, fingers skating down her throat.

"What are you doing?" Her breath hitched in the middle of the question as James began to undo her tie leisurely.

"I need your tie," he said simply. Lily's heart rate sped up inexplicably as he slid the article from her neck. His hands were the last thing she saw before he slid the cloth over her eyes.

"James," she giggled, as he pressed his lips to the junction of her neck and shoulder.

Unable to see, Lily's other senses took over. She could hear the crackle of the torches on the wall and hear the soft rustling of fabric as something watery was draped around her—the invisibility cloak. James' palm slid around her waist, pulling her close.

"Come on," he murmured, and Lily moved, obeying the guidance of his hands. She couldn't help but laugh as they made slow progress through the castle. James whispered directions in her ear, trailing his lips along her skin torturously with each word.

Lily was tempted to stop their progress toward her alleged surprise and have an invisible snog right there, wherever they happened to be.

"Now straight," James instructed, that dangerous mouth provoking her once again.

"If you don't stop doing that, soon is going to become now," Lily huffed. She was surprised to hear his breath catch behind her, but was distracted when his hands tightened around her middle, stilling her.

"Are we there?" Lily asked. The only response she received was the squeal of an old hinge. James' hands left her, and Lily missed his warmth almost immediately. She called his name into the drafty silence nervously when she heard a brittle cracking sound.

"I'm here." A hand found hers, pulling her forward. She shivered as the cloak slid across her cheek, baring it to the dissipating chill in the air. They must be somewhere safe to be seen, Lily mused, wishing she could take her makeshift blindfold off.

"Where are we?" Lily asked, tilting her head upwards. "Where's my surprise?"

"We're in the third floor corridor on the right hand side, where all of the abandoned classrooms are." His lips slid unexpectedly over hers while his hands came up to work the knot at the back of her head. He slid the tie from over her eyes.

"Surprise."

Lily gasped. Her heart skidded to a halt. Soon _was _now.

In the center of the room, was the biggest bed that Lily had ever seen, trimmed with red velvet hangings. Two torches lit the space with a warm glow, while a fire danced merrily in the grate.

"Did you transfigure that?" Lily asked, mouth dry. She stared at the massive bed, suddenly very apprehensive.

"Yeah, out of the desks," James replied, his hand snaking its way through his hair again. "But it's really soft. I tested it out." He cleared his throat slightly and Lily realized that he was just as nervous as she was. "Look, we don't have to," James said after a moment of silence, "you just said—"

She caught his hand in between hers as it cut upwards toward his hair again. She laced her fingers through his. "I said after exams," Lily smiled up at him, "and I meant it."

She stood on her toes, to press her lips to his. When they drew apart, he was grinning.

"I might be rubbish at this," he warned, but his hands were already stealthily untucking her shirt from her skirt. She shivered when his warm palms met her back.

"Me too," Lily admitted, pushing his robes off of his shoulders. They made a satisfying swish when they hit the floor. "But I doubt it."

"And why is that?" James murmured as his fingers undid the first button, maintaining electric contact with her glorious, soon to be bare skin.

"We're too good at too many things separately to not be good at something together," she said as reasonably as possible when James was sliding her shirt over her arms. She allowed herself one nervous jolt as his wide eyes took her in but soon found herself smiling against his lips when they sought hers. Eagerly, she returned the favor of freeing his shirt from his waistband.

James lifted her easily, and she wrapped her arms around his shoulders, swallowing their delighted laughter with her lips as they tumbled onto the bed.

She propped herself up on her elbows as he held himself above her. She curled her fingers around his tie, drawing him closer. She saw her fading laughter and love reflected in his eyes.

"Mr. Potter," she said in mock seriousness. "Are you prepared to be completely, utterly ravished?"

"Miss Evans," James replied devilishly, "it would be my absolute pleasure."

And so it was.

~PRD~

Two nights later, Lily waltzed into the dormitory feeling ten feet tall. She had never understood the term "floating on air" until this week. After everything that had happened, it seemed so strange to have a time when everything was going right.

After graduation, she would join the fight against Voldemort, and the outside world would present terrors. She would also have to worry about mundane things like where she was going to live, and how she was going to pay for it. But for now, she was going to enjoy the rest of her week of freedom before their exam results came back. She would spend the time with her friends, and sneak off with James to their classroom.

Lily paused in the doorway, surprised to see that Electra was still up. She sat at the window, staring at the parchment in her hands, illuminated by the light of her wand.

"Electra?" Lily said softly. Her friend jumped, almost dropping her wand.

"Hey, Lils." Electra stashed the hastily folded letter back in her nightstand drawer. "Did you have fun?" she gave her a suggestive look, but it fell flat.

Lily couldn't contain her grin at the thought of how much fun she had had with James. "Are you alright?" Lily sat down across from her friend, brow knitting in concern.

"I'm fine," Electra said with a horrible, pasted on smile. "You and James have made Sirius and me very rich. I can afford a month's rent now, maybe two." Lily stared at her, aghast.

"You didn't," she groaned. She buried her face in her friend's blanket covered lap in utter mortification. "You bet on when we would have sex?" Lily's words were muffled against the thick quilt. "How is that anyone's business?"

Electra chuckled and ruffled Lily's already disheveled hair. "You made it everyone's business when you two spent six years rowing all over the castle."

Lily rocked back, attempting to look aggravated but failing miserably as her James-induced grin wafted back into place. "Why are you still up? It's nearly three."

"Just thinking," Electra said vaguely, slumping against the wall.

"Is something wrong with you and Sirius?" Lily asked hesitantly. "You two have been together most nights now."

Electra made a strange, bitter sound. "We were together earlier." She scrubbed her face with one hand. "And everything's wrong with us."

Lily scooted closer, wrapping an arm around Electra's shoulders. She waited.

"What Sirius and I have…it's not what you and James have." Electra divulged finally. "We have fun, but it's too fucked up to be a relationship.

"Why?" Lily asked as carefully as possible.

"Because it's hard to have a relationship with someone who's in love with your dead best friend." Her voice wavered. "Not that I blame him when you compare us."

Electra's tears shimmered in the moonlight, but her body betrayed no other sign of her sadness. Lily wrapped her friend up tightly in her arms, shocked. Electra had only cried twice in the time Lily had known her. The first had been when Spencer had died. Electra swore when she was thirteen that she would never cry over a boy.

"He tries," Electra whispered, "but he says her name in his sleep."

"But he's always fancied you," Lily reasoned. "He'll come around." It took Lily a moment studying her friend's face to realize something important. "This isn't all about Sirius is it?"

"No," Electra admitted. "It's a part of it, but it's not everything. I'm not ready to talk about it!" she said sharply when Lily opened her mouth.

"Sorry," Electra said sincerely, wincing at Lily's wounded expression. "I think these past few months are getting to me." She finally returned Lily's comforting embrace and pressed a sisterly kiss to her forehead. "I love you, Lils."

"I love you too," Lily said warmly, but cold worry for her friend sank deep into her stomach.

~PRD~

The morning of the commencement ceremony dawned bright and cloudless. A warm wind whispered over the grounds, ruffling the purple ribbon on the meticulously rolled scrolls clutched in the Marauders' hands. The ceremony had gone smoothly. The only sign of Marauder mayhem was the neat bit of spell work that caused the seventh years' hats to explode when thrown into the air, showering the students in glittering multicolored confetti.

"I can't believe we have to go through all of that for this puny thing," Sirius waved the scroll.

Lily, who was strolling next to James laughed. "Your little display wouldn't have been nearly as impressive without some of your lessons," she pointed out as they strolled out of the entrance way with the students and families milling out onto the lawn.

Electra and Peter, the only members of their little band with family attending the ceremony came over, camera-toting parents in tow.

"Smile, dears," Mrs. Pettigrew, a round, pleasant woman said in her quavering voice. She hefted a large, antique camera. They slung their arms around each other and grinned against the blinding flash.

"Well we did it," Electra said as she battled Sirius jubilantly with her diploma. He swooped down and swept her over his shoulders. "Put me down, you idiot!" He spun them around instead.

"We didn't get expelled!" Sirius crowed and Electra laughed as he twirled her around. They had pulled some fantastic pranks toward the end of the school year that had almost endangered their chances of leaving the school on good terms.

"Well, what do you know," Remus chuckled with his typical quiet amusement.

"One more, guys," Peter said as his mother pointed the camera at them and captured this one, joyous moment, forever.

~PRD~

Lily placed the last of her belongings in her trunk with a pang of sadness. She had spent most of the afternoon packing before the end of term feast that night.

"James wants you downstairs," Electra informed her as she sidled through the door, arms full of Quidditch equipment from her newly emptied locker. "He said it's really important."

Lily dropped the lid on her trunk and went racing down the stairs. Had something happened to someone they knew? Her heart seemed to lodge in her throat at the thought of the headlines that had been filling the _Prophet_ lately.

"What happened?" she demanded as she burst from the staircase only to find James waiting for her once again.

"Nothing happened," James said, eyebrows shooting up in surprise.

"But Electra said it was important," Lily returned, puzzlement adorning her features.

"It is important," James grinned, running a soothing hand down her arm, "but nothing's wrong. I just have another surprise for you."

Her eyes lit up. "_Another_ surprise?"

"Not like that, you scarlet woman," he chuckled at her suggestive tone. He intertwined their fingers. "Follow me."

He led her down the familiar path toward the Entrance Hall, stopping in front of the door to the small antechamber where the first years waited to be sorted. An eager-looking Gryffindor first year stood there, holding a scarlet rose. A shimmering fairy light glowed in the center of the perfect bloom.

"This is where we had our first real argument, right before the sorting ceremony," James said as they paused outside the door. "We were as young as my friend Roger here," Lily accepted the rose when the first year boy proffered it. "You asked me if there was a fifth house for people with big egos. I believe you also said you hoped we wouldn't be in the same house. I'll never forget the glare you gave me that night."

Lily smiled, half-embarrassed as James led her up the marble staircase, pausing in the middle. Remus was standing there, a golden, twinkling rose held out.

"What are you doing?" Lily asked, wondering how she had missed him on the way down. Remus simply smiled and gestured to the rose. Lily took it, suspicion written all over her features.

"This is where we had our first legendary row," James said. "It was after lessons the second day of second year. It took Moony fetching a prefect to get us to stop. You wouldn't talk to him for a week after. I knew, watching you huff around, that I loved you."

Lily waved at Remus in farewell, as James tugged her up the stairs. Everywhere they went in the castle, someone was waiting with a rose. There was the corridor where she had first hexed him for flirting with her, then the kitchens, where everything had changed that one fateful night. When they arrived at the library, Sirius knelt there, rose in hand. James reported the location's significance as where she had agreed to go to Hogsmeade with him for the first time.

Finally, there was their classroom. James drew a rose from his robes, grinning as he stated, "And this is where soon happened." He kissed her temple as he added the flower to her growing bouquet.

"James," Lily began, but she was unsure where all this was leading. She had a strong suspicion, but it couldn't be now. Could it? A thrill shot through her when he silenced her with a kiss.

"We just have one more stop." The last stop turned out to be right outside the doors to the castle. Electra waited there, a rose in one hand and James' broomstick in the other.

Her friend winked at her, a large, secretive smile on her face as Lily accepted her rose. Electra turned and scurried back inside as if she had somewhere she needed to be.

"Get on," James encouraged, already floating a few feet from the ground on his broom.

"But we've never gone flying," Lily protested as she eyed the broom with trepidation. She had been a mediocre flyer when she had learned, but flying double always looked dangerous. Nevertheless, she got on the broom in front of James, gripping her bouquet tightly in one hand as James kicked off from the ground.

Flying was much more enjoyable with James, Lily determined. His arm kept her securely pressed against the warmth of his chest as the crisp air of the falling twilight ruffled their hair.

"What happened here?" she asked, turning her head to gaze at him. The fairy lights in her bouquet reflected dreamily off his glasses.

"Here is special," James said, squeezing her slightly and gesturing toward the castle. There was a rippling sound as the largest piece of parchment she had ever seen was unfurled from the parapet over the castle doors. Visible in the last bright rays of the dying sun were the words,

_Lily Evans, _

_Would you have pity on…_

The sentence was followed by a long list of words that Lily couldn't read because her eyes were glued to the last line which read, _And marry me?_

"Here is where I proposed," James whispered.

Lily's heart was pounding as she stared at the list. "Are those all of the names I've ever called you?"

"Only the more creative ones," James smiled cautiously. "I wrote down my favorites over the years."

"How did you get a piece of parchment that large?"

"I placed a special order with Flourish and Blotts, but had to use an engorgement charm anyway," James explained. The broom drooped slightly as James was filled with disappointment. "Are you going to give me your answer?"

Lily tucked her wand away in her robes and gratefully placed her hand back on the broom. She took it off again moments later to catch his hand as it reached to ruffle his hair nervously.

"I already did, Potter," she said smugly. James turned his eyes toward the parchment where she indicated. At the bottom, two large black words had blossomed.

_Of course. _

James kissed her, and a riot of filibuster fireworks filled the sky along with the whoops and whistles of their friends.

~PRD~

Lily stared at the brilliant antique diamond glittering on her hand in the light of the floating candles at the end of term feast. The ring had been his mother's, an heirloom of the Potter family, passed down from Potter bride to Potter bride as tradition dictated. She was honored to wear it.

It winked at her as she moved her finger to pick up her pumpkin juice, and she thought it might be possible to burst from happiness. She was engaged to James Potter, had graduated with top marks, and to round it all off, Gryffindor had won the House Cup. She shifted further into James' embrace and bit into her treacle tart with relish.

There was a tinkling sound as Remus and Peter beat on their goblets with their knives. "Ladies and gentlemen," Sirius called, rising onto his seat, goblet in hand. "I have an announcement to make."

Curious students turned to look at him all across the hall. "Sit down, Mr. Black," Professor McGonagall barked from the head table.

"You're going to want to hear about this, Professor," Sirius replied winningly, his volume growing with every word. "Because today, my best mate James here, asked Lily Evans to marry him." He paused dramatically as silence descended amongst the students. "And she said yes!"

The Gryffindor table erupted with cheers. Toasts were raised simultaneously to the happy couple and a chant was raised, calling for a kiss.

"Does Potter get any points for this?" Mark, the pointkeeper asked, leaning out from the Ravenclaw table to poke his friend in the back.

"Who cares?" Katie sighed dreamily, as James stood on his seat, pulling Lily up next to him and kissing her full on the mouth to thunderous applause. "Ten thousand points to both for true love."

Both James and Lily were too content, wrapped in each other's arms with the promise of their shared future before them, that they failed to see Severus Snape push away from the Slytherin table in disgust. Had they noticed, they could not have missed the murderous glint in his eyes as he watched the girl of his dreams celebrate binding herself to his worst enemy.

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A/N: We are proud to have completed our first almost completely happy chapter in a good couple of years! So leave us a review to let us know what you thought!

Don't forget to visit our updated profile page to participate in the deleted scene poll to let us know which characters you'd like featured in a "deleted scene" one-shot, which we promise to write if we break over 400 reviews one week after we post the last chapter.

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	25. I and Love and You

_We would like to dedicate this chapter to all of our non-American readers, who have graced our story with their readership since the begining. Thank you!_

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_Chapter 25_

_I and Love and You_

A cool October breeze rushed past his face as he stared out into the settling darkness in the quaint muggle town. The distant sound of leaves crunching under feet hurrying to get home for dinner drifted into the small room. James took a deep breath as another wisp of air danced by his perch in the window. The peaceful autumn moment quelled his anxiety for as long as it took to turn around and face his best friend.

"James, relax," Sirius' deep voice called calmly from the chair in the corner of the room.

"I am relaxed," James quickly responded. He ran his hand through his hair as he took to pacing the miniscule room. He was starting to feel nauseous again and he was pretty sure that all of the refreshing air previously let in through the window had evaporated out of the room.

"Prongs," Sirius said bracingly as he pulled himself to his feet heavily.

"I'm fine, Padfoot," James reassured him, though he continued to pace the room as though his mind alone could expand the boundaries of the four walls.

"Really? Because the way you're bouncing around this room I'd have thought you were a bludger trying to get out of the box," Sirius smirked. He clapped his hands onto James' shoulders, bringing him to a halt.

James shook his head slightly and looked at Sirius bewildered, clearly not taking in a word he had said. "It's really happening today isn't it?" he asked. His voice was strained, as if it could not decide to whether to reflect the strange sensation of anxiety or the neighboring feeling of jubilation currently warring in his heart.

"Would I be in this muggle torture chamber if it wasn't?" Sirius chuckled lightly, pointing down at his black tuxedo. James smiled as he remembered the day that he, Sirius, Remus, and Peter had gone into muggle London to get their tuxedo's fitted. Sirius had a great deal of fun observing the muggle tailor take their measurements without magic, while Peter had somehow managed to trip over his too long trousers three times.

It had been an odd experience for all of them, never having dressed formally in anything but dress robes. However, James could not deny this first of Lily's only two requests regarding their wedding. The second had been that they would be married in the same church as her parents.

Today.

In forty-seven minutes to be exact.

The thought of Lily brought back James' surge of worry. "I just wish I could see her," he muttered under his breath, the true source of his anxiety coming to light. He had not been separated from her for more than a few hours at a time since they had graduated in June. The past twenty-four hours without her had been agony as James worried about her safety.

"I know you do," Sirius said soothingly. He clapped his over-sized hand on James' shoulder once more. "But, she's with Remus and Pete, so you know she's alright."

James sighed. The only reason he had agreed to this stupid tradition in the first place was because Remus and Peter had promised to stay with her while they were separated. Whoever said it was bad luck to see the bride the night before the wedding anyway, James wondered for the countless time. He cursed his friends' stubborn support of Lily's wish to spend last night away from him. They were supposed to be his mates, weren't they?

"Listen, I'll go back to my place and check on her for you," Sirius muttered, "again." James immediately felt guilty for silently holding a grudge against his friends, who were only trying to make his fiancée happy on the eve of her wedding.

"No, no," James shook his head quickly, pulling away from Sirius to resume stalking the room.

"James, everything is going to be alright," Sirius began, crossing over to the window to draw it closed. Not being in the throes of pre-wedding jitters, Sirius could feel how cold the room was actually becoming.

"How do you know that?" James demanded, cutting off Sirius' next statement. "What if they get intercepted by Death Eaters on their way here?"

"James-" Sirius tried to interject.

"No, listen," James said fiercely, his voice growing louder. "What if something happens to Lily, or Pete, or Remus when they try to apparate here? What if one of the invitations was intercepted? What if something happens to our guests because You-Know-Who found out about the wedding? What if-"

"James, stop!" Sirius barked as he surged over to James and hugged him tightly.

"Prongs," Sirius said quietly as he pulled back to look at his best friend. "Everything is going to be alright. Tonight is going to be the best night of your life. You're going to marry the girl of your dreams with your best friends by your side and everyone in attendance is going to have an uproarious time. No one is going to get hurt, or captured, or maimed, though I can't say the same for this outfit Lily has me in."

"How can you be so sure?" James asked, looking far too miserable given the current circumstances. He gave his bow tie a half-hearted tug with one hand.

"I'm not," Sirius admitted. "But, I'm not going to let you ruin this for yourself and for Lily."

_Lily_.

James took a deep breath and closed his eyes tightly; filling himself up with thoughts of only the woman he loved. Her long red hair tangled in his fingers, bright green eyes shining up at him, full red lips just screaming to be kissed... He opened his eyes sharply. He couldn't allow himself to get carried away with _those_ thoughts just yet.

"Right, right, what time is it?" he asked. He pulled his wand out of his pocket and headed toward the door which led out into the side hallway of the church.

"6:47. Guests should be arriving within the next three minutes," Sirius replied as he consulted his wristwatch.

"And you're sure your message patronus worked?" James asked as he haphazardly flung the door open and began to stride around the ancient building. He began waving his wand at the outside walls, muttering protective incantations. They should have started doing this nearly fifteen minutes ago when the last evening service had ended.

"Yes," Sirius nodded his head and tried not to let his irritation leek into his tone. James did not usually question his actions, and he found today's anxious James was beginning to grate on his unusually patient nerves. He sincerely hoped this would all stop once he saw Lily again.

Sirius pulled out his own wand and began mimicking James' motions as he went over the arrangements, for the fifteenth time. "The invitation told the guests the day of the wedding. My patronus gave them the time to apparate to the check point, as well as the password to get them into the check point building. I will meet them there and bring them here."

"And all of the emergency portkeys are ready? To get everyone out safely in case… in case something goes wrong?" James fired a hex at the wards to test them, and both ducked as it came ricocheting back at them.

"All of them are right there," Sirius stood, and pointed at a large wicker basket sitting next to the front door. It was filled with empty soda cans, a couple of lone socks, a large rubber tire, and what James assumed to be the miscellaneous pieces of a muggle handyman's tool set.

"Good," James muttered absentmindedly. He stared at the odd assortment of items in the basket for a moment and suddenly, he began to laugh uproariously.

"Prongs, are you sure you're feeling alright?" Sirius asked once more, eying his friend with unease. He pulled open the large oak front door of the church and ushered the still chuckling James inside.

"I'm fine," James said, clutching at a stitch in his side. "It just seems mad doesn't it? Having to go through all of these safety measures for a wedding? It's supposed to be happy occasion, you know? Just seems mad." He ran his hand through his hair again as he stared out of the still open doors to the twinkling darkness beyond.

"The world's gone mad, James," Sirius responded gravely, beginning his descent to the street. It was time for him to begin escorting the guests to the ceremony.

"I guess it has," James murmured, once again looking out into the brisk, autumn night, wondering what unwelcome evils waited for them just beyond the boundaries of their defensive charms.

"And for the record," Sirius said, turning to face James as he reached the bottom step, "it is a happy occasion."

~PRD~

"Lily," Remus' voice carried through the bedroom door once more. "Lily, are you ready?"

"Al-almost," she called shakily as stray tears fell from her face and dropped onto the pages of the photo album sitting in her lap.

Her parents smiled up at her, unmoving, but still full of joy at Christmastime. Her sister, Petunia, was sandwiched between them, grimacing at the camera as well. Her heart ached looking down at them, her parents and her sister, two unable and one unwilling to come and be with her on her wedding day.

She turned her attention to the picture on the next page and her heart panged once more as she looked down at the moving figures in this picture. Four seventeen year old girls were crammed onto one seat of the Hogwarts Express on the way to their final year of school. The smiling, laughing faces of herself and her three best friends seemed to taunt her from the past.

A year ago they were all by her side. Today, when she needed them most, all three had disappeared from her life. Her eyes glazed with tears once more as she raked over their faces. Constantina, who had abandoned them all out of her own cowardice. Electra, who had left so quickly and unceremoniously from their lives, it was as though she had never been there. And Spencer, loving, beautiful, innocent Spencer, who had been stolen from them too soon.

"Lily," Remus knocked again.

But Lily ignored him as she turned the page and looked at a new set of smiling faces. Her heart once again panged, but this time with joy as the smiling, joking faces of James, Sirius, and Remus met her gaze. The picture had been taken on New Year's Eve at Potter Manor last year. The three boys had their arms slung over each other's shoulders, and their photographic expressions showed no hint that the pain they had experienced had ever marred their happiness.

The picture to its right made Lily's heart absolutely soar, a wide smile now gracing her face as she looked down at a picture of herself and James. They were standing together, their arms wrapped around one another on the final Hogsmeade trip of their Hogwarts careers. Picture-Lily kept trying to get Picture-James to look and smile at the camera, but all he would do was kiss her cheek over and over again.

"Lily," Remus knocked more urgently this time, his voice rising in alarm.

"It's alright," Lily called gently, her gaze remaining on the picture in her lap. "You can come in."

There was a gentle creak as Remus turned the doorknob to enter the bedroom which Lily had been getting ready in.

"Lily, are you alright? I was getting concerned," Remus began as he walked hastily into the room.

"I'm fine," Lily murmured lightly as she closed her photo album and stood up to face Remus in a whisper of white silk and lace.

Remus' breath caught in his throat as he stared at her. "You look… Lily, you look absolutely stunning," the most eloquent of the Marauder's sputtered out.

Her long, red locks had been pulled back and set into loose ringlets that cascaded gracefully down her back. The white of the muggle wedding gown she wore somehow set off the peach tone in her skin, giving her the appearance of glowing from within. Or maybe she just was, Remus thought.

Lily turned to survey her reflection in the mirror once more with a critical eye. Lily had always dreamed of getting married in the same church as her parents and wearing her mother's wedding dress. But when Electra saw the dress, she had insisted upon modifying it ever so slightly to make it more modern. After removing the long sleeves and replacing them with small caps upon her shoulders and extending the train a little, the flowing, lace aline gown looked perfect upon Lily's petite frame. Lily fought back the dropping sensation in her stomach at the thought of her friend. She wished more than ever that Electra could have been there to survey her handiwork.

"You really are magnificent," Remus repeated, still not moving from his place in the center of the room.

"Thank you, Remus," her smile grew as she met his eyes in the mirror. "Do you think James will like it?" she asked timidly. Remus had always been the gentleman of the Marauders. Even when they were eleven he always had a polite compliment for anyone who needed it, so she had to be quite sure she did look the way he said she did.

"James has been dreaming of marrying you since he was eleven, Lily," Remus began as he walked over to her, "and not even he, in his wildest dreams, could imagine you this stunning." He wrapped an arm around her white-clad waist and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead.

It should hurt more, Remus realized, to see them reflected standing together like this, looking like a muggle couple on their wedding day. He had, after all, fancied her quietly just as long as James had. But looking at the sisterly affection, spread across her face, Remus knew he had already conceded Lily long ago. This was the way things were meant to be, which he supposed made it much easier to let her go.

Lily turned away and cast a final glance around the bedroom to make sure she had everything.

"Are you ready to go?" Remus asked following her gaze around the room.

"Yes, I think so," Lily murmured distractedly as her eyes ran across the cover of her photo album once more. "Is Peter ready?"

"After much difficulty with his tuxedo, particularly the cummerbund, I do believe he is all set." Remus chuckled lightly, replaying the image of Peter wrestling with the fabric of his tuxedo as he tried to put it on only moments previously.

"You mean to tell me he didn't use magic to put it on?" Lily asked cocking an eyebrow as she made her way over to the door.

"Ah, no," Remus sighed, shaking his head slightly as he followed Lily out of the room.

"Pete, are you ready to go?" Lily called down the hallway as she made her way to the living room, hoping that Peter hadn't ruined his tuxedo in the process of trying to clothe himself.

"Maybe," Peter's unsure voice returned.

"Well, look at you," Lily cried as she entered the cramped living room and saw Peter, thankfully dressed. "Both of you look so handsome!"

"Lily, you look amazing!" Peter gaped as she made her way over to him.

But before Lily could thank him, Remus asked, "Lily, did you clean in here _again_ last night?"

"Maybe," Lily blushed as she looked around Sirius' small living room. She had a habit of tidying Sirius' flat using her very effective cleaning charms whenever she came to visit, much to the boys' amusement.

In order for James to go along with tradition, not only did he demand that Remus and Peter stay with Lily during their night apart but also that they stay in Sirius' apartment which had a direct floo line to James and Lily's cottage in Godric's Hollow, just in case. Lily had put up a fight about all of this extra security, she could take care of herself after all. James, having been on the receiving end of many of her jinxes, knew this full well but insisted, saying it was more for his peace of mind than anything else. Lily had to admit it had made her feel better knowing James was only a floo trip away.

"You know it will be destroyed within the week, as always," Remus chided her. He glanced absentmindedly at his wristwatch once more.

"Is it time yet?" Peter asked from his perch on the oversize dark blue sofa.

"Just about," Remus responded sliding his hands into his pockets and triple-checking for his wand. He looked over at Lily to gage her reaction.

"Lily, are you ready?" Peter wheezed.

"Yes… Yes, I am," Lily breathed quietly. Though she wasn't sure she was, not at all.

"Alright, Peter, I'll take Lily first, drop her off with Sirius and then come back to get you," Remus said, making his way over to Lily. One of the security measures the boys had taken was that the four Marauders and Lily would be the only ones able to apparate within boundaries of the church's newly erected defensive wards. Unfortunately for Peter, James' defensive magic had been so complex during their practice run for the day, that Peter had been unable to master apparating into the church's grounds. Remus had agreed that he would side-along Peter, to prevent any splinching disasters from ruining Lily's big day.

"Remus, I can apparate in myself," Lily protested as Remus made to grasp her bare arm.

"Oh, I know that, Lily," he chuckled lightly. It seemed silly that she would still think that any of them would doubt her skill at this point. "I was thinking only of the possibility of nerves getting in the way of your otherwise impeccable apparition ability."

Softening at his smile Lily took Remus' proffered arm, and with a last, "See you soon, Wormtail," they were gone.

~PRD~

After numerous trips between the check point and the small church, Sirius had successfully apparated all of the guests to the ceremony. James, with the help of Professors Dumbledore and McGonagall, had reinforced the defensive charms and added a few muggle-repelling charms. Lily, Remus, and Peter had arrived safely and were sequestered in a small room off of the vestibule. A tall, elderly wizard, who had been recommended by of one of the Order members, was prepared to preside over the union.

Since she had arrived at the church, it seemed to Lily that time had come to a grinding halt. The seconds seemed to tick by agonizingly slowly with Sirius' tapping foot accentuating the sluggish pace of the clock. She could hear the quiet voices of her former teachers and friends from the Order talking excitedly from beyond the oak door which separated her from them, but the one voice her ears were straining to hear did not reach the room.

But suddenly, Remus poked his head out into the small foyer. A knowing smile was playing across his lips as he whispered, "It's time."

From that moment on, time seemed to move so quickly that Lily was unable to keep up with what was happening. When Sirius asked her if she was okay, it was as though it was from a long distance away. It seemed to take him absolutely no time at all to make his way to the front of the chapel. Soon he was in place, smiling at James' side.

Then, Remus and Peter were opening the doors, her cue to walk down the aisle to James. She took a tentative step forward through the open archway, the melody of the lone piano filling her ears, her knees trembling slightly.

But the moment she looked up, any anxiety she had been feeling seconds earlier, fell from her like the autumn leaves on the trees outside.

All she saw was James. His unruly hair which, even today, he was unable to get under control. His bright brown eyes. The smile which lit up his face the moment he saw her, shone brighter than any of the many candles which filled the room.

Suddenly, she could not seem to get to him fast enough. A unified chuckle erupted from the twenty-some guests as her pace doubled almost immediately. Finally, she reached the end of, what was in her opinion, the longest aisle in history of the world. She slid her hand into James's waiting one, unable to stop beaming.

The ceremony began, but Lily was completely and utterly unable to concentrate on the words spoken by the officient, all of her attention focused on the man before her. As she stared into James' eyes, Lily still could not believe her joy in this moment. Though her heart still ached for those who could not be there, the happiness of this day, their day, could not be smothered by any of their past sadness.

Had James not said, "I do" first, Lily would have missed her turn to say it as well. Before she knew it, it was time for their first kiss as husband and wife. A current of electricity shot through her as James' lips met hers. The overwhelming joy of the day seemed to emanate out from them, filling the room.

The sounds of clapping and cheers of joys filled Lily's ears with a cacophony of noise but the only sound that mattered was the elated voice from her left excitedly whispering, "We did it!"

~PRD~

To Lily's great surprise, Sirius, Remus, and Peter had taken on the responsibility of a surprise wedding reception as their present to the happy newlyweds. Due to the danger of throwing a wedding which involved every member of the Order of the Phoenix, Lily had insisted that they did not need a reception as well. Keeping everyone safe was all that mattered.

But true to their form, the Marauders had transformed Sirius' small one bedroom flat in the heart of London into a large, beautifully decorated hall with a view of the mountains surrounding Hogwarts. The room was bedecked with glittering bouquets of red and gold roses, reminiscent of James' proposal. Lily strongly suspected that they had enlisted help from McGonagall and Flitwick to pull it off. Sirius had also used his devilish charm to talk Madam Rosemerta into providing food and refreshments for the event, while Peter and Remus designed and directed the Hogwarts elves on baking and decorating a three-tiered chocolate cake, which sat proudly on display in the corner of the room.

To Lily's great amazement, the boys had gotten even more people to come to the reception than were at the wedding. Old friends from Hogwarts, family of the Order members, some of James' most obscure relatives, and even Pim made an appearance. When Lily asked how they had managed to convince so many people to come out and, even more importantly, how were they keeping them all safe, Sirius had simply responded, "My house, my security, my rules," and walked away to go flirt with Madam Rosemerta at the bar some more.

"Ah, Rosermerta, my most beautiful flower, another firewhisky if you will," Sirius drawled as he leaned against the bar winking at the woman behind the counter.

"Sirius!" called a strong voice as a tall young man strode over to the bar.

"Fabian, how are you?" Sirius barked genially as the slightly taller of the Prewett brothers shook his hand.

"Eh, fine. You know how to throw quite the party, Black," Fabian laughed as he took a long swig from his nearly overflowing glass.

"Thank you, thank you," Sirius said, waving a dismissive hand. "It is a gift."

"How have you been, mate?" Fabian asked, sitting down on a stool. "We haven't really seen you around headquarters much since what happened to Elec-"

"Don't say her name!" Sirius ground out angrily, cutting Fabian off.

"Sorry," Fabien said. He threw up a hand defensively as though afraid Sirius was going to take a swing at him.

"It's okay." Sirius deflated as quickly as he had gotten angry. "Thank you, Rosemerta. It's been a pleasure as always. Fabian," Sirius nodded his head towards the man awkwardly and before the latter could say anymore, Sirius disappeared into the crowd. He picked up James' great aunt Eleanor along the way and swept her across the dance floor.

The party-goers seemed to be having the time of their lives as they ate, drank, and danced to the magically- amplified songs streaming out of the WWN radio Remus had brought. One of their good friends from Hogwarts who had been a year ahead of them in Gryffindor, Mary MacDonald, had even brought her camera and was taking photos of all the revelry, promising to provide Lily with an album as a wedding present once she had developed all of the pictures.

Lily could not remember a time when she had been happier as James skillfully spun her around in circles across the dance floor. She was much better at this then she had been the last time they danced at the Ministry party so many months ago, Lily noted to herself with pride.

"So, is it everything you hoped it was going to be?" James asked as he pulled her close once more.

"Absolutely," Lily sighed as she rested her head against his chest. "It's absolutely beautiful."

"You're absolutely beautiful," James responded, kissing the top of her head.

"Seriously?" Lily laughed loudly, looking up at him sardonically as they continued to sway to the music. "That's the best you could come up with?"

"Well, you really didn't give me much to work with," James said beginning to laugh as well, spinning Lily around and pulling her back towards him expertly.

"Oh, sure. Blame your wife," Lily chided sarcastically as she returned to his embrace.

"I like the sound of that," James said leaning down to kiss her. "Wife." He elongated the word as though testing it out for the first time.

"I like the sound of it too, husband." Lily grinned against his lips as he kissed her.

"Ack," Sirius groaned in mock disgust as he spun Mary MacDonald's older sister around the newlyweds, to the new up-tempo tune blaring over the wireless. "Get a room."

"Alright, we will just use yours since it's the closest," Lily shot back as Sirius and his partner continued past them.

"We've been a bad influence on you, Tiger Lily," Sirius called back loudly before he got swallowed up into the crowd of dancing guests. Was that Professor Dumbledore leading a Conga line? James and Lily laughed and continued to dance slowly through the song, ignoring the beat, lost in their own bubble of bliss.

"So, what do you think, husband?" Lily asked a few songs later, as James once again spun her gracefully around the room.

"What do I think about what, wife?" James asked pulling her as close as possible.

"What do you think about sneaking out of here and using Sirius' room?" Lily asked cheekily, arching her eyebrow seductively.

"I think," James groaned as he pulled Lily in for another kiss, "that thinking is why I married you."

"And I think," Sirius cut in as he draped his arms around them, "that that sort of behavior will get you kicked out of your own reception." Sirius looked at them both, so happy and in love, he felt his eyes prickle with something akin to tears.

"Why Padfoot," James asked warmly, nudging his best friend. "Are you getting emotional?"

"Never," Sirius said briskly, as Lily kissed him on the cheek, but he wrapped his arms a little more tightly around both of them. "I'm just mourning the end of the betting pool. You both made me so much money over the years."

They were all laughing Mary came over to snap a picture of them, Sirius shifting over to one side to frame his best friend and his bride. As the camera flashed none of them acknowledged the thought that their happiness could end in just the same amount of time, wishing that the night would just continue forever.

~PRD~

Far from the mirth and joy reigning in Sirius' flat, his only brother seemed to be in another world entirely. Here, it was cold, damp, and bleak, but the youngest Black did not seem to notice the lackluster state of his surroundings.

Regulus stared across the inky blackness which caressed the small boat as it carved its way through the water. He held his lit wand aloft, the golden light surrounding the boat, a sanctuary in the darkness. Something shook near his legs, and he glanced down at the small creature cowering in the folds of his robes. Gnarled fingers clutched the fabric in fear as they drew steadily nearer to the dark island in the middle of the cavern, where a strange, greenish light emanated.

Regulus glanced down at the elf long enough to give him a slightly deranged smile, one that was meant to be comforting. "It's alright, Kreacher," he said soothingly, stroking a bat-like ear in a gesture usually reserved for praise. He quickly removed his hand. He was worried that the elf would feel how it trembled, and know that his master was just as afraid as he was.

Kreacher buried his eyes further into material of Regulus' robes to block out the pulsing phosphorescent light. Regulus however, kept his eyes fixed upon that glow. He dared not look into the water, where the Inferi most surely floated, their pale limbs waiting to ensnare any that dare enter the Dark Lord's hiding place.

He tried to ignore the distant cries of Kreacher's ravings that tugged on the corner of his mind, the anguished story he had recounted of his trip with the Dark Lord. He remembered vividly that night, months ago, when the elf had appeared, writhing on the floor of Grimmauld Place's kitchen.

His brother had always been the courageous one, the one to run headlong into danger without a second's pause. Regulus was logical, cool, and calculating, and while he knew what must be done, he could not dwell upon it for fear that he might turn back.

For only he knew the Dark Lord's most closely guarded secret.

It had started when the only creature left in the world that truly cared for Regulus had been left to die without a backwards glance from the Dark Lord. That fateful night, he had scrubbed his hands free of the house elf's blood after healing him. His wand had clumsily closed the gashes where the inferi's dead hands had clawed Kreacher, where he had clawed at himself as his mind heaped agonies upon him.

As the last of the elf's blood was washed away, Regulus had looked up and seen his eyes blaze scarlet in the mirror. He had blinked, but the color had not gone away. This time it refused to fade…and his nostrils had seemed to slant, disappearing until they were only slits in his wan face. His fist had collided with the glass, the image collapsing and multiplying as the shards rained down upon him. As he clutched his bleeding hand, stemming the flow of scarlet running over the gaping eyes and yawning mouth of the black skull emblazoned on his forearm, he thought he heard her voice ring in the stillness. _"You'll never really be one of them."_ He could almost swear that her fingers skated over his arm, affectionate as they always had been. _"You still have a heart."_

From that moment on, he had searched feverishly for what the Dark Lord might have done, what the locket could have contained. He researched into the night and committed atrocities during the day, all to gain enough access to hear the cold, high voice dropping arrogant hints. Finally, he had put together all of the pieces of the puzzle. Except for this one last, final piece.

There would be no end, so long as this locket survived, he could see that much. Albus Dumbledore and his ragtag band of resistance had no hope. But if he did this…

His wand arm twitched spasmodically as the shades of memory possessed him, unbidden and somehow strangely welcome.

"_We still have time?" _

"_As much as I can give." _

The prow of the boat bumped into something, and Regulus was startled to see that they had landed on a round island of dark stone. He stepped out of the boat and he thought that he could feel the lump of metal through the thick pocket of his robes, cold and unfeeling. This, of course, was impossible. The crunch of his footsteps on the stone echoed in the cavern as Regulus approached the basin.

He stared down at the emerald liquid, the light dancing over his face in arcs. He did not bother to touch the potion, but conjured a goblet with his wand before stowing it in his pocket.

"Kreacher," he turned to face the elf, who was paralyzed within the boat, knobby fingers clasped over his eyes. The gesture was so helpless and childlike that it bolstered Regulus' thinning courage. "Come here, Kreacher," he said kindly, crouching down as the elf scrambled out of the boat and made his miserable way toward his master.

"You must do something for me, Kreacher," Regulus said in the warmest tone he could muster. He drew the locket out of his pocket. It glinted in the light cast by the basin. "Take this," he instructed, careful to phrase the statement as an order. "When the basin is empty of the potion, take out the one in it and replace it with this one."

The elf reached out one hand which was shaking so hard that Regulus had to curl his fingers around it to prevent the locket from tumbling out of the elf's grip. "It's alright, Kreacher," Regulus stroked the elf's ears comfortingly once more. "I'm going to drink the potion this time."

The elf opened his mouth, his fearful expression replaced with one of horror. "Master Regulus," he croaked, but Regulus cut him off.

"I order you to leave without me, no matter what happens." He placed both hands on the side of the elf's face, where fat tears were welling in his saucer-sized eyes. "You _must_ destroy the locket you take from the basin. Do you understand me, Kreacher? It is the most important thing I will ever ask you to do." The elf nodded, its tears coating Regulus' palms, scarred from the night he broke the mirror. "I forbid you to tell my mother what I have done."

He patted the elf's head, his own eyes becoming watery. "You're a good elf Kreacher. I had hoped one day, you would serve my own family…"

Visions he had fought to extinguish seemed to dance on the surface of the basin as he stood again to survey it, memories of a life never lived…

_She sat with her head on his shoulder, her left hand, entwined with his, glittering with two rings, her lips, brushing his cheek as she murmured, "I love you, Reg."_

But he had given that future away, poisoned it, the way Voldemort had poisoned his elf.

Would she forgive him? Regulus wondered. He had caused her death, he had cast her aside, lied callously to her to force her to turn back. Did she know, wherever she was, that he loved her, even though he had never said it? Most of all, he wondered if he would see her again.

There was only one way to find out.

Kreacher's hands closed around his free hand, the locket knocking against his skin as the elf clung to him. At least he was not alone.

"Do as I told you to, Kreacher," Regulus said as he sunk the goblet into the glowing potion, filling it to the brim. "Do this last thing for me." He raised the goblet and toasted the air, "To Spencer."

He drank, and drank, and drank. He clung to the basin as his lungs burned for air and his knees gave out, and he fought to remain standing.

She was there, in front of him, torn and bloody, reaching out to him. "Why did you leave me?" she asked, her voice small and broken. She raised a bloody finger and pointed it at him accusingly. He needed water…

No. He _needed_ to drain that basin. Why?

"I loved you," she rasped coldly, her organs, visible through her ripped chest which heaved with the exertion, blood spurting everywhere. "I should have loved your brother instead." Regulus fell down, his hand scraping along the basin, ripping the skin of his palm open.

"I was trying to save you," he gasped. Even though his throat was closing, burning, she needed to know. "Please, Spencer. I love you!"

Hands grabbed at him, long fingers that propped him up. "Master Regulus," a croaking voice echoed his own grief. "Please, sir."

Please what? Regulus wondered as Spencer continued to berate him, attempting to push herself up, to come toward him. Pain was shooting through his body, wracking it with uncontrollable spasms. But he deserved it, she told him, he deserved to feel what she had felt. Her voice was colder than he remembered, cruel. His Spencer had never been cruel. Had he made her that way?

_Drink, Reg_. Her voice, smooth and sweet as the chocolate she had loved, the way he remembered it, prodded at the back of his mind. He hauled himself up, fingernails tearing off as they scrambled to grip the edge of the basin. Sobbing, he heard metal scrape against stone with a crunch.

He felt a sense of elation, though he did not know why, as he brought the goblet down to his lips. Spencer had changed now, she was whole and complete…but she was not alone. "This was where my heart truly was," she said haughtily. The man she was with turned around, his roguish smile an exact copy of Regulus' own.

"No," he garbled through his last mouthful of potion.

"I always loved your brother," Spencer laughed, but it was high and cold, familiar. "You were only my second choice." The horrible truth of what he had always secretly feared, crushed him. He drained the goblet, ignoring the small arms that surrounded him as he thrashed in agony.

"I'm sorry," he screamed as he threw off the arms surrounding him and crawled, weeping, toward the water. He needed water, his throat was going to close up. It was so dry…

"I'm sorry," he said brokenly as he spooned the liquid into his mouth. It was cool and delicious. He greedily lapped up more with his hands. Behind him, the bleeding corpse of Spencer had returned, railed at him while he continued to apologize.

"_I know you didn't mean it. You were just trying to protect me." _

She was there in front of him, suddenly. What was she doing in the water? Her eyes were a lighter blue than he remembered, but they still glowed with love. Her voice was the one he remembered, gentle and kind.

"_I'm so proud of you for this. Thank you, for giving my friends a chance." _

Her arms reached out to him, slender and pale, breaking the surface of the water. One touched his face. _"Come with me, Reg, I've been waiting for you"_ she said, arching up out of the gloom, her glorious chestnut hair dripping onto him.

"_It's alright,"_ she murmured. _"We're together now."_

He went willingly when her grip constricted around him. Then she pulled him down with her into the deep silence of the water.

* * *

A/N: Whew. There you are, beloved readers! We officially now have only two more chapters and the epilogue to go and are trying our best not to keep you waiting too long for the next installment.

Reviews help us procrastinate life and write faster, just so you know. They also help you dear readers, get a deleted scene one-shot written as our holiday gift to you. First, go vote in the poll located on our profile for which characters you would like featured. Then review, for as soon as we break four hundred reviews, we get crackin' on what might be our last piece of fanfiction ever published.

For updates on where we are with the story, you can check us out on our ff profile, or on our tumblr page (see our profile for the link!)


	26. Remember Me as a Time of Day

**Chapter 26  
****Remember Me as a Time of Day**

The old wooden door creaked open as Lily turned the doorknob gently. The smell of aging cardboard and the mustiness of unopened books, old robes, and the discarded Filibuster Fireworks strewn across the floor assailed her nostrils. As she took in the state of the small room Lily felt a rush of guilt wash over her.

A year and a half ago, when she and James had first moved into the cottage in Godric's Hollow, they had both been extremely committed to renovating the dilapidated, old house. After Sirius and James had managed to blow up the kitchen using a misread spell, Lily had made the executive decision to hire out the rest of the work to the professionals Peter's uncle had suggested.

The rest of the house was quickly finished with the exception of the cottage's smallest bedroom. As weeks turned into months, life and the war seemed to catch up with them and their spare bedroom had somehow turned into their very own Room of Requirement. Lily could not believe the amount of unnecessary junk they had accumulated throughout the past eighteen months. She stared at the piles of boxes. The task that lay before her, which had seemed so exciting last night, suddenly seemed very daunting.

How were they going to turn a room they had managed to fill and ignore for a full year into an inhabitable nursery for the baby in only a few months?

Just the thought of the baby made her stomach swoop with joy. They had not planned on having children, not yet anyway. It was difficult and dangerous to raise a child with the war raging on their doorstep, especially when both parents were involved in the Order of the Phoenix. Only pureblood children were guaranteed safety in Voldemort's world, and only to those whose parents supported the Death Eater cause. She had nearly cried with relief when James had swept her up in delight when she had told him the truth last night, soothing all of her fears away when she voiced them. Lily grinned when she thought of how persuasive James could be…

After sharing the news, Lily found that she could not wait to begin work on the baby's room. James had agreed to help her start clearing out the room the following morning, but Sirius had sent an owl during breakfast, requesting James' help with an urgent matter involving Remus' "furry little problem." He had left so fast that he did not even finish his eggs and bacon. Lily had tried to wait for James to return, wanting to do this job together. She had failed miserably at being patient however, and rushed up the stairs to begin work only ten minutes after her husband had gone.

As she stood in the doorway, Lily began to feel as though she should have waited for James. She had no clue where to begin. Just as she was about to head downstairs to make some tea, an object on the bookshelf caught her eye. She grabbed her wand out of the back pocket of her jeans, which were already starting to feel tight even though she was only a few weeks along. She pointed it at her prize, and excitedly said, _"Accio!"_

The photo album shot out of its slot on the bookshelf and into Lily's hands gracefully. Tea completely forgotten, Lily plopped down onto the cold, wooden floor. She crossed her legs and set the album in her lap. She had not seen this since Mary had sent them the copies of their wedding photos…

She smiled down at the front cover, a large monogrammed L elegantly embossed in the leather. The album had been a birthday gift from her parents when she was young. She had been so excited about the present, she had spent the entire day snapping pictures with the camera she had gotten for Christmas, only a month earlier.

She opened the cover, revealing a picture of her eleven-year old self standing with her overjoyed parents, and a very sour faced Petunia, at King's Cross. She remembered how excited her parents had been for her. Her father was so proud; he had asked multiple strangers to take their picture in various parts of the station. This had been Lily's favorite when she was younger because they were standing in front of the gleaming Hogwarts Express. Today, as her eyes raked over her older sister's face, she felt sadness. The sound of their argument only moments prior to the picture being taken seemed to fill her ears, even though it had happened over eight years ago.

She touched her stomach thoughtfully, already excited for her baby's first trip on the Hogwarts Express. Lily wondered which house her son or daughter would be in. Did it really matter? No, not truly. Of course, James would be a bit disappointed if their child was not in Gryffindor, but he wouldn't love him or her any less.

Lily's heart dropped swiftly into her stomach. What if their baby was not capable of magic?

Lily was positive she and James would love their baby with or without magic. Hell, the kid could come out with the head of a Grindylow and all of the mismatched legs of a Hippogriff and they would still love their baby.

But… she did not want her child subjected to the same ridicule she had grown up enduring. She knew what it was like living in a world where you did not belong, where you did not fit in because of you were different. She could not bear the thought of her child being taunted that way.

She closed her eyes hard and shook her head firmly. There was no need to get ahead of herself just yet.

Lily turned the page to reveal an empty photo slot. Lily frowned at the memory of the picture that had once sat happily on this page. She unwillingly recalled the day she had removed and destroyed the picture.

"_Lily, I don't even know why you were friends with the prat to begin with," Electra's scathing voice called across the room where she was digging around in her bedside table._

"_He used to be a good friend," Lily retorted defensively, her cheeks still hot with embarrassment from that afternoon. She was staring down at a picture of herself and Severus from their first year at Hogwarts. They were sitting out by the lake, relaxing after their final exams. Their arms were slung around each other's shoulders and they were smiling unabashedly at the camera._

"Used to_, Lils," Constantina scorned from Lily's side as she too looked down at the picture. "He isn't anymore. A real friend would never call you a-"_

"_I know what he called me, Connie!" Lily cut her off, not wanting to relive the awful events of a few hours prior._

"_Lily, listen," Spencer said soothingly, rubbing small circles on her back. "I know you guys used to be really close, but he's just not a good guy. Look at the people he hangs out with…"_

"_I know, I know," Lily said. "It's just…he was my first friend in this world. He introduced me to magic and how wonderful things could be. You just don't forget that."_

"_Clearly, he did," Electra muttered, as she moved on to foraging through her trunk._

"_Seriously, Electra?" Spencer reprimanded, whipping her head towards her friend. "Lily is already upset enough. You don't need to make it worse."_

"_No, Spence," Lily said, placing her hand on Spencer's arm. "She's right. He clearly doesn't care about me anymore. So why should I care about him?"_

"_Exact- AHA!" Electra cried climbing out of the depths of her trunk, the object of her search wedged between her thumb and pointer finger._

"_What the hell is that?" Constantina asked, squinting through her glasses at the small piece of cardboard in Electra's hands._

"_Matches," Electra explained, crossing the room. "They're these little sticks muggles use to make fire."_

"_What are they for?" Spencer asked._

"_For Lily to burn the picture, and Snivellus," Electra used the name Sirius Black had invented in order to show her level of distaste for the boy, "out of her life."_

"_That's all well and good, Electra," Constantina interjected pointedly, "but Lily's a witch. She can just use her wand."_

"_I know that," Electra spluttered. "It just feels better to do it the muggle way, sometimes. More therapeutic."_

"_Lily's not burning the picture," Spencer began shaking her head. She reached over and gently tried to pry the album out of Lily's grip._

"_No," Lily said, wrenching the book away from Spencer. "I am." _

_Electra smiled victoriously, as she held out the opened matchbook to Lily._

"_Are you sure you want to do this, Lils?" Spencer asked hesitantly as Lily haphazardly yanked the photo out of the album._

"_Absolutely," Lily responded. She used her wand to levitate the picture into thin air. She then struck the match and watched her naïve eleven year-old smile and her oldest friend burn._

Lily hastily turned the page. She wanted to forget that memory, and the person Severus had become.

She turned the page. Another picture of herself with her parents was situated next to a photograph of her thirteen year-old self arm-in-arm with Spencer, traversing the streets of Hogsmeade on their first trip to the village. They were running and skipping down the street, throwing smiles back at Electra who had taken the picture. Lily caught herself laughing out loud as she remembered how they had almost burned down Zonko's Joke Shop later that day. They had accidentally set off a chain reaction of Exploding Snap packs that were sitting next to a pile of dragon stuffed animals that actually breathed fire.

She surveyed the next page. Her friends, a little older this time, still smiled and laughed up at her. Her heart panged at the fact that none of them were still there. This photograph had been taken on the Hogwarts Express on their way home for Christmas Holidays their fourth year. Spencer and Constantina were grinning at the camera, while Electra feigned a small smirk before turning back to stare out the window morosely.

Was that day the beginning of it all and Lily had missed it? Had she been too young and wrapped up in her own problems to not notice her friend spinning out of control?

"_Electra!" Lily hollered up the spiral staircase towards the girl's dormitory. "Electra, let's go! The last carriage to the train station is going to leave soon!"_

_Lily waited, but there was no response. She had sent Spencer and Constantina down to hold the last carriage, telling them both she would wait for the perpetually late Electra. The entirety of Gryffindor Tower was going home this Christmas and Lily was not going to let Electra's inability to be on time keep her from enjoying the holidays with her family._

"_What is it now, Electra?" Lily huffed as she began to drag herself up the stairs. She had even packed Electra's bag for her, hoping they would avoid another fiasco. Last year, Electra had not packed the night before, slept through her alarm, and had been forced to go home with only her school cloak, her wand, and the clothes on her back. _

"_Electra, come on," Lily commanded as she swung the door to their dormitory open authoritatively. She stopped dead in her tracks as she saw Electra, completely dressed and ready to go. She was sitting on her bed, crying as she stared down at a crumpled up piece of parchment._

"_Electra, what's wrong?" Lily asked, rushing over to her friend._

"_My dad," Electra whispered softly through her tears. "He wrote me a few weeks ago, says he's thinking about leaving my mum. He says he thinking she's lost it completely this time."_

_Lily was floored as her mind began to churn over all that her friend had just said. She had known that Electra's mother was… unstable, but she had not heard much about it since last year. She also could not understand a parent confessing something like that in a letter to their child._

_Lily opened her mouth, then shut it again quickly, unable to find the words to say in a situation like this. Electra looking up at her friend and laughed as she continued to imitate a gaping fish._

"_I know," Electra chuckled, her voice watery, "there really isn't anything to say."_

"_I thought things were getting better," Lily said. "I thought they were meeting with someone to help them work out their problems."_

"_They were," Electra said bitterly. "But, apparently, during one of their sessions, my psychopath of a mother said she still blamed dad for Eddie's accident."_

"_Oh," Lily breathed. Electra never mentioned her little brother Eddie or his accident. During their second year, Electra had been taken out of class and given the tragic news that her six year-old brother had died. Lily had never heard what had truly happened, but from what she could piece together, it had been an accident involving experimental magic on one of her parent's behalves. To this day, Lily did not know whose fault it really was. _

_Electra had left for the funeral and did not return for an entire month, her grief at the loss of her brother too much to bear away from home. When she returned, Sirius had made the mistake of saying he was sorry about what happened to Eddie. Electra had hexed him so thoroughly for mentioning her brother's name that he walked with a limp for weeks afterwards. From that moment on, everyone knew not to mention Eddie or the accident unless Electra brought it up first. _

"_Yeah," Electra huffed, tucking the letter into her cloak pocket and wiping her face. "It's some heavy shit, right? 'Happy Holidays. By the way, I'm leaving your mother.'"_

"_He might not be leaving her for sure," Lily offered up hopefully. Once again Electra let out a small, humorless laugh._

"_To be perfectly honest, I'm shocked he stuck around as long as he did." Without another word she stood up, picked up her bag and made her way out the door and down the stairs towards the carriages._

When they returned from their holidays, Electra was in a much better mood. She had explained that her parents had worked it out over Christmas and that her father was sticking around. Lily had accepted this explanation happily. She remained completely unaware as one of her best friends continued to suffer in silence for the next three and a half years.

Lily shut the photo album resolutely, unable to continue down this painful path on memory lane. Drawing herself to her feet she brushed the dust off her jeans, and grabbed her wand. Retreating down to the kitchen, she hoped a steaming mug of tea would rejuvenate her spirits.

She filled the pot and set it to boil. Electra had been right. Doing things the muggle way was therapeutic. She glanced up at the clock. Worry for Remus filled her when she realized that two hours had passed. James should have been home by now. Something serious must have happened to the gentlest of the Marauders.

Pacing the confines of the small kitchen Lily continued to glance at the album sitting innocently on the table. She had not intended to bring it down with her. Unable to find anything else in the kitchen to distract her, Lily succumbed to the album's siren song. She pulled out a chair and decided that this time, she would start from the back. Surely more recent pictures would bring reminders of happier times. Flipping the book over, Lily gently opened the back cover.

She let out the breath she had not realized she had been holding. A picture of her and James standing in front of the cottage on move-in day greeted her. James' hair was ruffled more than usual in the late summer wind as they glanced happily back and forth between their new home and the camera.

They had both been so excited to move in, that all of the troubles in the world could not bother them that day. For one glorious day, it had seemed as if there were no friends or family dying at the hands of Death Eaters, no evil overlord trying to rid the world of happiness and… no friends secretly losing their minds and going off the deep end.

Lily clapped the album shut again. Four short days after this photograph had been taken, Electra had been killed.

"_I don't want you going on that mission," Sirius yelled across the oak table at the enraged Electra. "It's too dangerous."_

"_I'm not made of glass," she raged back. "I can take care of myself, Sirius."_

"_You aren't going," Sirius screamed, slamming his first against the tabletop. _

_Sirius and Electra had broken out into a vicious argument before an Order meeting while everyone waited for Dumbledore to arrive. Unfortunately, the members were used to this behavior. This argument however, turned more than a few heads, since the couple was being nastier with one another than usual. _

"_You cannot tell me what to do," Electra seethed, pulling her wand out of her robes. At this, everyone at the table scrambled to their feet, drawing out their own wands, and separating the quarrelling pair._

"_Electra, you need to calm down," James said, trying to subdue the situation as he physically restrained his best friend. "Sirius is just being a little over-protective."_

"_I don't need protecting. I'm not Spencer," Electra snarled. All movement in the room stopped at this statement._

"_What does Spencer even have to do with any of this?" Sirius furiously voiced the question on everyone's mind. _

"_She has everything to do with this!" Electra cried, yanking herself free of the Order members hold. "You're still in love with her!"_

"_No, I am – What are you even talking about?" Sirius railed. Flustered and furious, he continued to struggle against James and Remus. Neither of his friends gave way. Both knew if Sirius gained access to his wand this could all end very poorly._

"_Yes, yes, you are," Electra shrieked. "You always have been and always will be. It just took Death Eaters murdering her for you to realize what had been in front of you all along!"_

_She regarded him with eyes terrifyingly full of glittering tears. Sirius stared back at her silently. She made a dreadful, choked sound and stalked over to the door._

"_Maybe if I get killed by a bunch of Death Eaters, you'll notice me too," Electra called back over her shoulder, rushing out of the house before anyone could stop her. _

_Seconds passed as everyone let her parting words sink in. Lily and James were the first out the door after her, calling her name, trying to get her to come back. But they had been too late. She had sprinted out of the safe house and apparated before they could catch her._

_They had all argued about what to do. Should they go looking for her? But where would they start? There were several known Death Eaters lairs. They could not just show up to all of them looking for Electra. They could not risk more lives on a whim that Electra might have gone looking for a fight. So no one had done anything._

_By the time Dumbledore had arrived Lily had practically lost her voice from screaming for someone to help her go after Electra._

"_Sirius, we have to go find her before she does something stupid," Lily pleaded with her friend._

"_She'll be back," Sirius murmured from his seat. His eyes did not move from the spot Electra had occupied only half-an-hour ago._

She never did come back.

Lily shook her head violently to stop herself from tearing up at the memory of when she had discovered that Electra had been killed in crossfire with a band of Death Eaters.

To all of their great surprise, Electra had not actively sought out a battle. Instead, she had set out to cool off at a pub in one of the magical offshoots in downtown London, accidentally wandering into a large group of drunken Death Eaters, celebrating their most recent act of muggle torture. According to the shaken barkeep, Electra had put up a ferocious fight, taking six down with her. She had met her end when a rogue hex collided with the bar causing a fatal explosion.

The shriek of the kettle made Lily jolt in surprise. She pulled herself up from the table and hurried over to the counter. Quickly wiping the stray tears from her cheeks, she reached up into the top cabinet and indiscriminately yanked a ceramic mug down.

The day of Electra's funeral ran through her mind from a kaleidoscope view as she arbitrarily threw a teabag into her mug and overfilled it with boiling water. The callous look on Electra's mother's face, watching Electra's coffin being levitated into the ground…Then there had been the earthshaking moment when Lily had asked Electra's mother where her father was and she replied that he had left the family months earlier.

Lily felt her stomach bottom out a year later at this memory. How had Electra not told them? How had they not seen it? Electra had always been the strong one, there for all of them when they needed her. How had they all been unable to return the favor? All of them unable to help shoulder Electra's burden, even when she had struggled through every obstacle faithfully at their sides. Why had she been too stubborn to tell Lily? Why couldn't she just open up and-

A loud creaking sound brought Lily abruptly into the present. Startled, she dropped her mug. It cascaded to ground with a resounding smash.

"Lily!" James voice loudly called from the living room.

"Damn it," Lily murmured as she glared down at the shattered ceramic and the tea seeping into her socks. "In here," Lily called back as she grabbed her wand off the kitchen table.

"Are you okay?" James half-yelled as he rushed into the kitchen.

"James, what's wrong?" Lily heard Sirius' voice follow James' silhouette into the room.

"_Reparo_," Lily muttered, pointing her wand at the shattered mug. "James, I'm fine." Seconds later, inwardly cursing her distracted state, Lily's wand was on him. "Prove you're my husband," she demanded.

James' face adopted his trademark mischievous grin as he leant forward, pressing the tip of her wand into his chest and whispered, "There's going to be a third Potter living here soon." Lily stowed her wand away, satisfied. James was the only one who knew about her condition, after all.

"Are you sure you're alright?" James asked, tugging her close to him with a meaningful look.

"Yes, I am sure," Lily said indignantly, roughly pushing him off of her.

"James, calm down, mate," Sirius placated his friend as he swaggered into the kitchen.

"Hi, Sirius," Lily muttered as Sirius passed by her, stooping to kiss her on the cheek in greeting.

"Interesting change of decoration, Tiger Lily," Sirius commented as he traipsed through the puddle of tea and sat down at his usual place at the kitchen table. "A little wetter than usual, but it is a bit more festive."

"I dropped a mug of tea," Lily sighed as she grabbed a towel and crouched down to mop up her mess.

"Let me do that for you," James said dropping to his knees and trying to yank the towel from Lily's hands.

"James!" Lily screeched, "I can clean up a spill!"

"I know you can," James said as he wisely backed away from his wife.

"Good," Lily said fiercely as she grabbed the edge of the counter and wrenched herself to her feet.

"Why don't you go rest in the living room?" James suggested hopefully as she stood up, brushing her hair out her eyes huffily.

"Merlin, James," Sirius laughed as he began to flip through Lily's photo album casually. "What in the name of the of Holyhead Harpies makes you think Lily needs to rest? It's only 9:30 in the morning. Are you sick, Tiger Lily?"

"You could say that," Lily muttered as she filled the kettle with more water and set it over the fire once more.

"What's wrong?" Sirius asked, concerned. "Because I have a date tonight and I don't want to catch anything that could stop me from enjoying the company of the lovely…"

"The lovely?" James prompted as he sidled into the chair across the table from his best friend.

"Don't tell me you forgot this one's name too," Lily chastised Sirius as she leaned against the counter.

"What are names when you are in love," Sirius said sincerely, fixing Lily with an earnest expression that had her jaw dropping open. James made a little sound of disbelief. Sirius' roared with laughter at their expressions.

"Merlin fucking Grindlewald you are good," James chuckled lightly. "I almost believed you."

"You two are ridiculous," Lily groaned from her spot by the sink.

"Ridiculously good looking," Sirius replied, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively causing Lily to burst out laughing. Sirius and James high-fived each other, looking incredibly pleased with themselves at having lifted Lily's sour mood.

"I swear," Lily gasped trying to regain composure, "you two are going to be awful influences on this child."

"This _what_?" Sirius asked sharply, his neck cracking audibly as his head swiveled between James and Lily. The couple stared at one another, their eyes begging the other to answer Sirius' question.

"Did you just say this _child_?" Sirius asked. His voice was oddly quiet.

"Ugh," James groaned, slamming his forehead against the kitchen table in disappointment. "We had the entire thing planned out, how we were going to tell you, Remus, and Peter. We wanted to tell all three of you together."

"You wanted to tell all three of us what?" Sirius asked again, his expression unreadable.

"I'm pregnant, Sirius," Lily said as she walked to stand behind James.

"You're pregnant?" Sirius asked.

"Yes," Lily replied sternly, her frustration at his lack of excitement for them getting the better of her.

"There's going to be a baby?" Sirius pronounced the words as if speaking a foreign language he did not quite understand. Behind James, Lily's hands gripped the back of the chair so tightly that her already pale skin seemed translucent. She had been secretly waiting for someone to berate them on their lack of better judgment ever since she had discovered she was pregnant. She knew it was too much for everyone to feel happy for them, given the current circumstances…Someone would take them to task for being irresponsible, but surely, _surely_ that person wouldn't be Sirius…

"Yes, Padfoot," Lily heard James say as if from a long distance away. "There's going to be a baby."

"I'm going to be an uncle?" Sirius' voice now reflected the hope breaking over his face.

"Yes, you're going to be Uncle Sirius in a few months," Lily beamed, awash with relief.

"I'm going to be an uncle!" Sirius exclaimed, allowing his joy to escape. He jumped up from his chair and raced over to Lily, pulling her into a tight hug. Seconds later, he had reached down and pulled James up by the scruff of the neck, forcing him to join their embrace as well.

"I guess this means you're excited?" Lily laughed as Sirius released her from his grip.

"Excited doesn't even begin to cover it," Sirius began. "There's going to be a fifth Marauder."

"I didn't even think of that!" James remarked as he was unceremoniously plopped back down into his seat.

"But, what if it's a girl?" Lily inquired as she walked back over to the counter to prepare the tea.

"So what?" Sirius shrugged as he slid back into his seat with a flourish. "With a father like James Potter, this kid is going to be a magnet for mischief, boy or girl."

"Too true," James concurred from his end of the table.

"Merlin above," Lily exclaimed as she shook her head, "You four plus this child getting into trouble; I don't know if I'll be able to handle another Marauder."

"Lily, think of the big picture," Sirius continued as he accepted his mug of fresh tea from her.

"What big picture, Sirius?" Lily asked sardonically, blowing on her tea to cool it down. "You teaching my child how to break every rule at Hogwarts multiple ways?"

"Don't forget all of the secret passageways," James stated with relish.

"Too bad Filch confiscated the map our last week there," Sirius lamented. "But, we still have all of our notes on our experimental practical joke charms."

"Experimental practical joke charms?" Lily rounded on James raising an eyebrow dangerously.

"I feel like those are better kept a secret," James said hurriedly before busying himself with his tea.

"Experimental practical joke charms?" Lily asked again, this time baring down on Sirius.

"Listen, Tiger Lily, it is nothing to concern yourself with," Sirius drawled, waving an unconcerned hand, that almost swatted Lily's nose.

"Sirius Orion Black," Lily's voice began to rise.

"Lily," James stood quickly, fearful that his wife's hormones were already beginning to get the better of hers. "We will not use any experimental anything around, near, or on the baby."

"Absolutely not," Sirius agreed, nodding his head vigorously as he comprehended the reason for her ire. "We only test stuff we aren't sure of the outcome of on Peter."

"Sirius!" Lily crowed incredulously, advancing towards him.

"What? At least it isn't the baby," Sirius barked throwing his arms up to shield himself from her oncoming attack.

"It's just as bad," Lily cried as she slapped him across the back of the head. "Peter can't defend himself against you three."

"Who said Remus had anything to do with it? He would never have let us do anything like that," James stated plainly. Lily's eyes narrowed in her husband's direction, but he was regarding her with slightly darkened eyes, and the expression which clearly read he found her attractive when miffed. It was that look which had landed her with the baby in the first place, and those activities were not appropriate with Sirius in the household.

"Well, that is true," Lily's tone was unexpectedly reasonable as she turned away from her husband. Sirius shot James a questioning look, but the other Marauder gave no indication of the exchange that had just occurred as Lily took her seat between them.

"How is Remus?" Lily steered the topic of conversation onto important matters. "I was starting to get worried."

"He'll be alright," James responded, brow furrowed. Lily noticed how prominent the worry lines in his forehead were becoming. He was far too young to look so careworn. "He hasn't had to run solo in a couple years, so his first time without us was bound to get a bit out of hand."

"Out of hand?" Lily demanded uneasily.

"He holed himself up," Sirius explained. "He's not exactly able to stop the biting and scratching, so he attacks the only thing available: himself."

"Oh no," Lily groaned.

"He'll be alright," James said soothingly as he reached across the table to rub her back. "This was a pretty regular thing for him before we were able to distract him. Plus, Sirius and I fixed him up quite nicely if I do say so myself."

"But still, I'd prefer if he came over for dinner," Lily murmured as she got up to busy herself, in the hopes of dissipating some of her worry. It had always upset her that she couldn't do more for Remus.

"Already invited him," James responded as he heaved himself out of his chair to help his wife. "I invited Wormy too. We can tell them our big news tonight."

"Excellent, what are we having?" Sirius asked, rubbing his hands together.

"What are _we_ having?" James shot back in amazement. "I thought you had a date."

"Date-schmate," Sirius said waving his hand through the air once more. "Plus, I'm not meeting her until after ten o'clock anyway."

"Padfoot, meeting a girl past normal dinner hours at her flat for a shag does not constitute a date," James chuckled at his friend's well-established antics.

"Sirius, how do you expect to have a normal relationship if you refuse to see any of these girls in public during day time hours?" Lily tried to state the question casually and failed miserably. Sirius bristled almost imperceptibly. She shot James an apologetic look as they collected the dirty dishes and set them in the sink.

"I don't," Sirius said simply, leaning his head on his hand while he watched James helping Lily clear up the mess in the kitchen.

He was struck suddenly by a stab of jealously toward James. Not because he wanted to be with Lily. Merlin knew he loved her, but not like that. As he observed his best friends wordlessly communicate as they cleaned up together, he wished he had what they had built together: a family. While Sirius knew that he would always be included in James and Lily's family, it still hurt like hell to acknowledge that he had missed his own opportunity at a life like this. Hell, he had missed his opportunity twice…

"So what are we having for dinner tonight?" Sirius asked as he tore his gaze away from the couple.

"Chicken and potatoes," Lily said, waving her wand and setting the dishes to wash themselves.

"My favorite," Sirius exclaimed, faking his usual excitement. He once again slid Lily's photo album towards himself.

"I know," Lily laughed. "That's why I make it every time you come over. You never get sick of it."

"Well, a man has got to eat," Sirius explained as he lazily flipped through the pages of the album, "especially a dashing, strong man such as myself." He smiled at the picture of all three of them from the wedding. Lily had taken it upon herself to install a copy of this one in his living room.

"Well, dashing, strong Sirius would you mind helping my big, strong husband clear out the spare room upstairs?" Lily gave Sirius her most winning smile.

"Ah, I guess I have nothing better to do today," Sirius barked as he shut the photo album. He had just gotten to the page holding a picture of himself wedged between a disdainful Electra and beaming Spencer on a couch in the Gryffindor common room from their sixth year. He wondered, not for the first time, how he had managed to screw both opportunities-both women- up so badly.

"When do you ever have anything better to do?" James commented as he dried off his wet hands on his jeans.

"Prongs, do you want to do all the heavy lifting on your own?" Sirius asked derisively.

"Er, I have a wand, Padfoot," James mocked as he pulled it out of his back pocket. "I think I'll be okay."

"Sounds like someone's a bit too confident about his capabilities with his wand," Sirius joked as he stood up and made his way over to the hallway.

"Is that a challenge?" James asked as he followed Sirius up the stairs. "I think my wife's pregnant state is testament to my excellent wand-handling." Sirius made a childlike noise of disgust, loudly proclaiming that was not the type of wand he had been speaking of.

Lily shook her head as she watched them disappear onto the landing, their voices still echoing down into the kitchen. She had to stop herself from laughing at how childish they were; it would only instigate more of their behavior.

She walked over to the kitchen table and traced the intricately embossed L on the front cover of her photo album. She picked it up and cradled it in her arms before turning to follow the boys up the stairs.

Before this morning she had forgotten about most of the pictures in this album and had tried to forget the stories behind them. In doing so, she had completely disregarded how important each picture was. Most of them represented fairly ordinary days, but it was that collection of days that had been instrumental in bringing her and James together. These pictures showed how she had built her band of friends. They traced her path from the outcast little girl with the inexplicable abilities to the person she was today.

Lily did not want to lose these pictures, these stories, again. It did not matter how painful they were, they were all important. This album contained the history of their family.

She gently rubbed her stomach, smiling mistily. In a few months time, there would be a new person to share these memories with.

* * *

A/N: Well, there you have what happend to Electra and we hoped you, sort of, enjoyed it. Reviews help us suffer through editing (which we both dislike) and is all we have left. Hopefully, with enough encouragement and some will power on our parts, you'll have the next chapter by Monday night or early Tuesday.

Don't forget to vote in the poll on our profile page as to what couple you'd like featured in a one-shot, which we'll write as a gift to our readers if we break four-hundred reviews!


	27. Forever and Almost Always

**Chapter 27**  
**Forever and Almost Always**

"I don't like this James Phillip Potter!" There was a clanging sound as Lily let the wooden spoon she had been holding clatter into the enormous metal mixing bowl. "I don't like it one bit!" she added savagely. She eyed her husband darkly as he emerged into the kitchen through the narrow hallway door.

James had changed out of the splattered jeans he had worn that afternoon as he had magicked paint rollers around the soon-to-be-nursery with Lily. Both of their arms still bore the cheery yellow freckles bestowed upon them by their efforts. Lily's frown deepened as she strained to move the spoon through the batter filling the bowl, which was twice as large as her head.

"It's just a reconnaissance mission," James said levelly, moving behind Lily to mix the bowl for her as she was having difficulty maneuvering around her rounded belly. Lily slapped his hand away irritably and drew her wand out of her apron pocket. She pointed it at the offending bowl vehemently. The spoon began to mix its way around the bowl so vigorously that it splattered the counter and the couple with flecks of cookie dough before Lily managed to tone down the spell with an aggravated sniffle.

"Lily, are you crying?" James asked nonplussed. While he was well acquainted with Lily's ire, having been the brunt of it for a good six years at school, he was still unaccustomed to the sudden mood swings that had become more frequent during the last month or so of her pregnancy.

"Yes, I'm crying," she exhaled, struggling as he drew her to him. "I'm frustrated!"

James hid his smile in her hair when she finally allowed herself to be led into his arms. "And why are you frustrated?"

Lily shoved him roughly, for he hadn't been able to completely conceal the amusement in his tone. "Don't mock me! You did this to me," she gestured wildly to her swollen stomach, which was stretching the red and gold stripes on one of his old Quidditch jerseys into distortion.

"You knocked me up with this baby I didn't plan for! Then when I'm no longer sexy because I look like I swallowed a quaffle, you go gallivanting off on missions that could get you killed!" She took a deep heaving breath as if she was venting off weeks of feelings in one go. "And I can't even come with you because I'm a worthless, pregnant muggle-born who's of no use to anyone! Who can't even fight alongside her husband!"

James pulled her into his arms again as her lower lip trembled and a great wracking sob shook her. This time she stayed there without resisting. The last few months had been hard for Lily. The Ministry was cracking down on muggleborns, and she had had to resign herself to nighttime, lower profile missions for the Order. All which had to stop when Lily had discovered she was carrying their child. No wife of his, James had argued, no matter how skilled at combat magic she may be, was facing Death Eaters with their baby.

It had been the worst row of their entire relationship, which was very impressive considering the number of rows they had had over the years. James had been relegated to the couch for a week. Lily had refused to budge until Dumbledore had politely told Lily that he would be happy to have her serve in other, non-combative positions. So far, she had unearthed a slew of useful spells for members to learn for missions, developed an emergency message chain, and decoded several messages that had stumped even Alastor Moody. However, James had no idea that she felt this left behind.

"I'm sorry I knocked you up," James said, rubbing his hand soothingly over her stomach.

"No, you're not," Lily muttered knowingly, glaring at him.

"Not really, no," James grinned down at her. "It wasn't the best timing, but I can't say I regret it." He tilted her head up and kissed her in just the right way so that she would melt against him, which she did until her stomach got in the way.

"You're still very sexy," James reassured her, "though I'm glad it's our child and not a quaffle in there. I don't think that'd be good for your health."

He brushed his thumb along the curve of her cheek, long since committed to memory. He liked to make sure it was perfectly ingrained there though, every time he left her like this. "It's just a surveillance mission. I'm not going to get myself killed."

Lily shuddered as the horrible thought passed over them both. "You can't promise that." The hysteria started all over again. "Then I'll have to raise this baby all b-b-by m-myself!"

James stroked her hair consolingly, wondering idly if he should stop the spoon, which was still turning slowly through the giant bowl of dough. "You won't have to raise the baby by yourself," James said calmly. "Sirius has already agreed to be godfather. He, Remus, and Peter will always be there for you. I am coming back, Lily. Not even He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named could take me away from you." He was gratified when she gave a small hiccup and looked up at him.

"You're a terrible husband," Lily sniffed, but there was no venom behind the words. "But I love you anyway."

"You're an awful wife," he said cheerfully. "I love you. Take care of our little Marauder." He kissed her, and then licked a fleck of cookie dough off of her face. "Dough's good. Share with Remus."

"Is that who's coming to babysit me?" Lily asked petulantly, but James saw her expression brighten. She stared at the bowl in front of her. "It's good too…I think I might have made too much dough."

James refrained from commenting but went to answer the front door when a knock sounded on the weathered wood. James asked a muffled security question about firewhisky that Lily could not quite catch. The received answer was apparently good enough to ascertain that the Remus outside was in fact, the real Remus. James closed the door behind his friend when he entered, looking thinner than ever these days.

"Remus," Lily, half-waddled, half-skipped into the front parlor of the cottage before wrapping the rather bedraggled-looking Marauder in her embrace.

"You're looking radiant as always, Lily," Remus said chivalrously, noting how she had grown since the last time he'd been able to visit.

"Would you like to run away with me while James is gone tonight Remus?" Lily asked, standing up on her tiptoes to kiss him on the cheek playfully to James' outraged "Hey!" "You're smart, responsible, and appreciate muggle Monopoly. Exactly the type of man I _should_ have married."

"Don't let Sirius hear you say that if he stops by later," James warned as he unlocked the trunk under the window that held his invisibility cloak, pulling it out.

"Yes," Remus said, reaching up to help Lily retrieve the Monopoly game from the upper bookshelf. He set it on the table in front of the fireplace. "Sirius always maintained that if you hadn't married James, you would have gone after him eventually."

Lily snorted as she took the lid off of the Monopoly box. Lily had tried to teach all of the Marauders once, but only Remus had seemed to enjoy the game. Now, they played it whenever he visited.

"Are you alright? Dumbledore hasn't been making you run around with those awful werewolves again, has he?" Lily unfolded the game on the table, noticing in the brighter light, that strands of gray were appearing much too early in his sandy hair, drawing attention to the dark circles under his eyes.

"I _am_ an awful werewolf," Remus said lightly. He shot James a look. James merely rolled his eyes when his wife waved the comment away, heading toward the kitchen.

"Werewolf yes, awful no," Lily said airily as she moved through the doorway. She emerged a moment later carrying her prize bowl of cookie dough, now gleaming with two spoons. "Do you mind sharing?" Lily said around a mouthful of dough she had just taken with relish. "Or would you like your own bowl?"

Remus laughed and took the proffered spoon. Lily smacked James' hand away as he reached over to stick a finger in the bowl. "Those who are going on missions don't get to eat sweets," she said sternly. "You could throw up all over a Death Eater." The boys roared with laughter at this matter of fact pronouncement.

"Well, I'll leave you to your game," James said in a mock, pathetic voice. He turned to address Remus. "Take care of my family, Moony," he instructed, wrapping his arms quickly around his friend.

"You know I will," Remus promised, then quietly excused himself to the bathroom to give Lily and James a moment of privacy.

Lily set her bowl down and brought a spoonful over to James, who ate it, grinning. "You stay under that cloak, James," she ordered, thick tears brimming in her eyes once more. "You get what Dumbledore needs and you get out of there."

"I'll do exactly that," James promised, kissing her softly. "I love you." She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him back harder.

"I love you too," she said softly. He bent down and pressed a small kiss to her stomach, swearing he could feel something move.

"Dad will be back soon, son," he whispered, before throwing the cloak over him and disappearing out into the cold spring air.

~PRD~

James appeared a few yards away from the designated meeting place. He stepped out from behind the mangled tree that blocked the glare of the street lamp in the small park and crossed the crosswalk, careful to keep the cloak over him. He strode toward a street full of offices, which ran parallel to the graffiti-covered brick wall.

James approached the entrance to the third shabby office, across from the crudely painted red bird, barely visible among the other colorful designs on the crumbling barrier. He drew from his pocket a hand-whittled wooden whistle and blew one single haunting note. From the sagging overhang, a call echoed his own. James stowed the imitation phoenix whistle back in his pocket, tightened his grip on his wand, and stepped up into the alcove.

There was the slight scraping of shoes as someone shifted and when the orange light of the streetlamp hit him, James could see the outline of a person's shoulder. He frowned, that wasn't supposed to happen.

"I was beginning to think something had happened to you," a good natured voice murmured. "But, first things first. What was the mission password we decided on last night?"

"Rising buns in the oven are best taken out after the seventh hour," James said, attempting to say the phrase as seriously as possible.

"Otherwise bakers cook their spouses in hot water," the other voice replied, with a slight chuckle. There was a rustle and the round face of Frank Longbottom appeared. James returned the favor, pulling his own cloak back to be seen.

"Was Lily fretting again?" the slightly older man asked with a knowing smile.

James grimaced. "She was crying and stating that she's useless since I made her look like she swallowed a quaffle." Frank laughed and patted James genially on the shoulder.

"Well, at least she wasn't strapping a spare holster to her arm and threatening to come," Frank replied, shaking his head. Frank's own pregnant wife, Alice, was just as unhappy at being left behind as Lily. "We should probably get on with it," Frank stated, checking his watch. "You remember the plan?"

James nodded. "Excellent. I'll meet up with you in a few minutes. Use the galleon signal. If we get separated, we'll meet back here at two."

James watched as Frank ducked under his cloak, and took off into the light of the streetlamp. When the glow hit him a certain way, it was almost possible to discern the outline of a person. "Frank," he hissed. The outline of his fellow Order Member paused. "Be careful, I think your cloak is fading. Stay out of the light." A hand with the thumb lifted into the air emerged briefly from the cloak, before disappearing out of the circle of lamplight and around the corner.

James shrugged his own trusty cloak back over his head and steered toward the rundown telephone booth near the corner. He slid into the box, shutting the door behind him with a rickety creak. He reached out and dialed the code 62442 and cringed as the peppy voice of the welcome witch asked for the purpose of his visit.

"Order of the Phoenix Member," he replied in a mocking imitation of the voice, "foiling Lord Snake-face's latest plan." He grinned when the silver badge popped out, his purpose spelled out in tiny engraved letters. For the hell of it, he pinned the badge to the front of his shirt as the lift trembled and began to rumble downwards.

He arrived in the Atrium and resisted the urge to sigh audibly with relief when he no longer had to listen to the welcome witch's irritatingly pleasant monologue. He stepped out into the dim light of the Atrium. The golden symbols dancing across the peacock ceiling cast an eerie glow over the abandoned room, which seemed especially daunting when empty.

James tensed when a whirring sound emanated from nearby. He whirled, wand pointing behind him, but he discovered it was only the lift, gearing to rumble its way toward the surface once again. He resisted the inexplicable urge to chuckle as he made his way past the many gilded fireplaces. For one claiming to be so smart and powerful, Voldemort's security was rather lax. While the floo network was being closely watched, as well as all the usual wizarding apparition points, it was laughable that someone could simply waltz right in through the Visitor's Entrance.

He ducked near the golden glow of the fountain, his lip curling at the ridiculousness of the goblin's simpering expression. He wondered what Voldemort would eventually replace it with, now that he was almost fully in control of the Ministry. Only a stout few remained against him, most of which were stationed in the Auror's office, Frank included.

James withdrew a galleon from his pocket and stuck his hand out from beneath the cloak just far enough so that the coin would catch the light of a rune passing overhead. He aimed it right at the centaur's rump and wiggled it so that the reflection flashed sharply on the polished metal.

He was rewarded a moment later when a responding flash hit the rear end of the house elf from the opposite side of the fountain. Frank had made it in from the employee entrances then. James sidled around the edge of the fountain, pausing when he saw the clear line of a torso.

He opened his mouth to tell Frank to move into the wizard's shadow when acid green light flared in the corner of his vision. A witch somersaulted gracefully out of the fireplace, squealing in an unhinged sort of way. James quickly nudged Frank into the darkness next to him as a second figure emerged from the fireplace, with much more dignity than the first.

"Where exactly are we going?" intoned a horribly familiar, oily voice. James' head whipped around, hardly daring to believe it.

"We are not to ask questions, Severus," the female returned, her high-pitched voice strangely warm as she regarded the man beside her.

So, it was Snape, James realized with a start as the two passed under the light of a floating rune. The greasy hair and hooked nose had not changed a bit since the last time that James had seen him. His fingers brushed the gold band on his left hand and he felt a brilliant flash of victory. Lily was his now, just as much as he was hers, and the stupid dark arts-loving git would never get the chance to come between them again.

James turned to survey Snape's companion. Beside him, was none other than Bellatrix Lestrange, who had her arm slung through the younger man's arm with an easy, motherly affection. The picture was disconcerting to say the least.

It was also disturbing that Voldemort's supporters were growing so bold that they were walking around without their usual masks on, and in the Ministry no less. They had guts, James thought, to be wandering around in plain sight as known Death Eaters, in the building that housed Magical Law Enforcement. Not that it mattered, there would be no one left to enforce the law soon.

"I thought you said it was urgent," Snape remarked silkily, his eyes scanning the empty atrium as if he expected Voldemort to suddenly materialize from behind the golden gates at the end of corridor. "Where is the Dark Lord?" Snape altered his weight subtly, as if trying to dislodge himself from Bellatrix's clutches.

Bellatrix gave an odd chirp of laughter and patted Snape's arm patronizingly. James had to bite back a chuckle as Snape looked at Bellatrix's hand as if it were a chimera attacking his arm. "If the Dark Lord says it is urgent, it is," she stated, completely oblivious to Snape's discomfort. "He is waiting for us below."

Voldemort was here? James' blood chilled at the same time as his heart rate sped up. What was he doing in the Ministry tonight? _This could be…_

At his side, Frank shifted, and even without seeing him, James knew he was thinking the same, terrifyingly insane idea that he was.

He thought of the promise that he had made Lily and their son…That he would go in and get the information that Dumbledore had asked for. But… Voldemort was here and it was something important— something that would have him raiding the Ministry in the middle of the night…

"Where are the others?" Snape tried again, as Bellatrix hurdled over the security stand with an elated howl of laughter. She waited while Snape followed, all the while wearing an expression which clearly said leaping over objects was utterly beneath him.

"There are no others," Belatrix crowed delightedly to the vaulted ceiling. "The Dark Lord has only asked those he trusted most and he instructed me to bring you." Snape threw back the golden grill to the lift with a horrible grin twisting his features. He was apparently in a much better mood due to Bellatrix's revelation.

He gave a sharp jerk of his head and Bellatrix skipped into the lift ahead of him, interpreting the gesture as an "after you," invitation. Snape's lip curled up slightly at her antics, and James was reminded of an annoyed parent dealing with an overly rambunctious child he had once seen in Diagon Alley. "To the Department of Mysteries, Snape dearest. Down, we go! Down!"

James started toward the lift as it began to sink lower, the pair of Death Eaters disappearing from sight. Frank, a blurred outline against the golden light of the fountain, grabbed his arm.

"Are you mad?" he demanded.

"Don't pretend you weren't considering it," James hissed back. "Look, you already know where to get what Dumbledore sent us for," he hurried on. They were losing time. "Don't you want to know what brought Snake-face to the Ministry in the middle of the night? Must have been pretty big, since last we heard he was recruiting followers in Ireland."

"You had better be back here in an hour or I will set off my distraction pack," Frank warned, but his grip slackened on James' arm. James smirked at being threatened with his own invention, a walloping combination of Zonko's products further enchanted by the Maruarders to maximize their chaotic potential.

"Same goes to you," James muttered and took off toward the lift. The gates rattled closed behind him and he descended down into the darkness alone.

~PRD~

James grimaced when the lift bell dinged merrily and the pleasant female voice announced that he had reached his destination. The golden gates slammed open, temporarily distracting the fearsome trio clustered down the black-marbled corridor.

All three heads turned to look at him, appearing almost disembodied in the bleak lighting provided by the torches, their black garments cast further into shadow by the blinding light inside the lift. Voldemort's features were contorted into an expression James had never seen. His eyes caught the light of the torchlight, a brilliant, livid scarlet, making the strange look upon his face so terrifying that James froze momentarily in the lift's entryway.

_Move_, James ordered himself desperately, and he stepped gingerly out of the lift, trying to prevent his feet from making any noise. Voldemort took one step forward and even though he was still yards away, James thought that his heart might leap out of his throat.

What had he been thinking, coming down here? Hadn't Dumbledore warned them all weeks ago that Voldemort was an expert legilimens?

He pressed himself against the corner nearest to the lift as the machine rumbled upwards once more, leaving the corridor devoid of its golden light.

"Check to make sure we're alone, Snape," Bellatrix instructed, stepping in front of Voldemort, her wand drawn. Voldemort did not object to his followers' protective stance in front of him, nor did he contradict her orders. It was then that James' racing brain finally deciphered the common expression which was so out of place on Voldemort's features. He was _afraid_…but what could possibly frighten the Dark Lord?

He could dedicate no time to ponder the issue, as Snape was currently stepping forward boldly, both arms outstretched, feeling the air for an invisible intruder like himself. Snape headed straight toward James' location, almost as if he knew someone was there.

James began inching down the wall, doing a sort of strange do-si-do with the Death Eater. He slid down the wall, stifling a gasp as Snape's hand almost collided with his nose. Apparently satisfied that this side of the hallway was empty, Snape preceded forward, wand extended. James swore his heart stopped. If he did a revealing spell, he was doomed…

"Enough," Voldemort's cold voice was as imperious as always, betraying no sign of the fear that James had seen earlier. "I do not have time for this. I must search for something within. You two are to guard the door and alert me at once if anyone comes."

One white hand reached out to turn the knob on the sole door that gave entrance to the Department of Mysteries. Not daring even to breathe, James sidled through the foot-and-a-half distance between Bellatrix and Snape, and threw himself into the room behind Voldemort just as the door slammed closed.

James barely had time to register the circular room with its eerie blue tapers and the twelve or so identical doors before the world began to spin. When the room ceased revolving, Voldemort seemed to be just as disoriented as James was. He strode forward and pulled open the door across from where they had just entered from only to reveal a long thin room, lined with desks. As James crept in behind Voldemort, he noticed that all of the desks seemed to be focused on the tall tank in the middle of the room, which, as they neared, appeared to be full of floating brains.

Resisting the childish urge to poke the tank, James followed Voldemort who was throwing pages off of the desks. His mad, roving eyes lit on the doors at the end of the room. Voldemort threw open one door with a curse that splintered the aged wood. James could not see into the room as he was forced to duck his head away to shield himself from the blast as Voldemort treated the second door in a similar manner. Apparently neither room contained what he was looking for.

As he doubled back toward the entrance, James realized that Voldemort was muttering something under his breath, a series of repeating sounds he could not quite distinguish.

The circular room spun again and Voldemort tried another door which opened up into a cavernous chamber with a stone archway in the center, decorated only by a tattered piece of fabric. There was something strangely unsettling and at the same time, comforting about the room. Though no one was present, James could hear whispers echoing faintly around the hall as he stepped into the room behind Voldemort.

Voldemort obviously did not agree with James' assessment of the whispers as comforting, for he threw himself out of the room as if it contained a monster. He collided with James who stood behind him, tripping ungracefully into the circular room once more and falling onto the smooth floor with a terrified yelp.

Voldemort clutched at his heart in the most human gesture James had ever seen him make, gasping for breath as if he had just witnessed his worst fear come into being before his eyes. As the door closed behind him, Voldemort pointed his wand at the wood and marked it with a large, burning X.

"Never again," he muttered. "Once I have found it, I will never set foot here again."

The room began to spin, and Voldemort, unnerved, began to mutter his mantra, louder this time. "Something of Gryffindor's…" He pulled open another door, this one also thin and rectangular, containing desks and a large, empty bell jar. In a cage on the far side of the room, a mother bird tweeted mournfully as she sat on her nest full of eggs…an empty pen next to her with feathers strewn about the bottom indicated that the poor animals were used for experiments on whatever was being tested in this room…

Voldemort deemed this room also unsatisfactory and James crept behind him, back into the circular room. The process repeated several times, each time with Voldemort muttering "Something of Gryffindor's," in the attitude of a dying man seeking a cure.

If James' life hadn't been in imminent danger if he was discovered, he would have found the whole situation quite laughable. Voldemort was afraid, frantically searching the Department of Mysteries for an item James was quite certain didn't exist. The only known items of Godric Gryffindor still in existence were the Sorting Hat and the legendary sword of Gryffindor, which hadn't been seen in centuries. Even if the sword did exist, his father, who had loved to regale him of questionably true tales of famous witches and wizards as bedtime stories, claimed that the sword could only be found by a true Gryffindor, something Voldemort most certainly was not.

But why did he need it? What was going on that made it imperative for Voldemort to gain possession of some old relic? James watched with a hint of amusement as Voldemort set about attacking an apparently locked door. He tried several different locking charms, and no less than eight curses, all of which rebounded. One ricocheting bolt almost hit James in the neck, but he stepped out of the way just in time.

Voldemort's white hand caressed the wood as if it would open like a Gringott's vault stroked by a goblin. "It must be in here…I must have it. I must make the seventh…then I will be safe…safe from—"

But what exactly Voldemort would be safe from, James never found out, for a door across the chamber burst open and Snape stood framed in the doorway. Behind him, the corridor was filled with rude noises, issuing from the golden lift.

"My Lord," Snape called hastily, already turning back toward the source of the disturbance. Voldemort followed him, his robes whipping around the corner as the lift rose out of sight, still issuing the earsplitting childish noises of the distraction pack.

James swore inwardly. James' hour was up, and Frank, true to his word, had come after him. Bellatrix was already ascending in the neighboring lift, attempting to catch their intruder.

"Bellatrix will catch him, my Lord," Snape reassured Voldemort as they scurried toward the lift. "She is not fond of letting her prey escape."

James could not bear to think of what sort of horrible things this might mean for Frank. He barreled down the corridor as Voldemort and Snape's feet disappeared, jamming a palm to the up button, summoning the lift Frank had no doubt just vacated.

"I'm coming Frank," he whispered and hoped with every fiber of his being that Frank had stayed out of the light.

~PRD~

James' hopes were dashed the second the gates banged open to reveal a horrific sight. Under the golden witches' approving smile, Bellatrix had pinned Frank Longbottom to the polished floor. Frank's wand and remaining distraction pack items were strewn a foot in front of them, where they had been thrown by the momentum of Bellatrix's tackle.

James edged around to the side of the encounter, as Voldemort glided across the floor, his own footsteps making no sounds to accompany the trickle of the golden fountain, which suddenly seemed more ominous than tranquil.

"When he moved into the light, my lord," Bellatrix panted, shoving Frank's head roughly to the floor. "His invisibility cloak failed."

The larger man could have easily overpowered the smaller woman, and James realized with a start that Franks' hands had been bound behind his back by a thick coil of rope. Bellatrix's wand was jabbed warningly into the space between his shoulder blades.

"Well done, Bellatrix," Voldemort said softly, eyeing the Auror with contempt. "If it isn't our friend from the Auror office, Frank Longbottom." Voldemort stepped around so that he was in Frank's line of vision, or as much as it was possible to be with one's face pressed sideways. Bellatrix gave a signature evil cackle, punctuating it with another prod to Frank's back with her wand. "You've been causing some problems for me Frank," Voldemort continued. "The rest of the Aurors do not seem to object to their new orders like you do."

"Maybe because you've threatened their families or put them under the Imperius Curse," Frank spat, biting back a groan when Snape's foot collided with his side.

"But you seem to possess the happy talent of resisting the Imperius Curse," Voldemort said lightly, as James continued to inch along the outskirts of the room, finally finding himself level with the opposite side of the fountain. Careful to keep his hands and feet under the cloak, James climbed onto the rim of the structure, gripping the centaur's rear for support. If he could just…

"Let me do the honors please," Bellatrix requested in a tinny, beseeching voice. "He deserves special treatment for what he did to my sister's face the last time they met." Voldemort held up a hand to stem Bellatrix's pleas.

"My Lord," Snape interjected, eying Frank like he was toad spawn on his shoe, "perhaps it would be prudent to bring Mr. Longbottom back to headquarters for questioning." His sallow face curved into a bone-chilling smile. "If Bellatrix's methods do not prove useful, I have a store of Veritaserum waiting to serve you."

"Yes, Severus, your potions may prove useful later, but I am in a forgiving mood today," Voldemort tilted his head so that it swam into Frank's line of vision. "I am not usually one for second chances, Mr. Longbottom, but I find that today your courage and your talent have made me feel merciful. I will offer once again for you to join my service in return for the safety of your friends and family."

"Sorry," Frank said mournfully, "you just didn't catch me in an evil frame of mind. My answer will have to be no" He could not stifle the cry this time as Bellatrix withdrew a lethal-looking knife and slashed a wicked trail down his forearm, tearing the sleeve of Frank's robes.

"How dare you belittle the Dark Lord, you piece of filth! How dare you deny his mercy!" Bellatrix shrieked, her knife descending again. "You are a disgrace—"

"Don't hurt him too badly, Bellatrix," Snape cautioned, as Frank's blood began trailing in small streams onto the polished floor. "He is utterly useless to us dead. At least for the time being."

"If Fawkes can hear me," Frank said, using the code name for a fellow Order Member, raising his voice, heavy with resignation over Bellatrix's continuing shrieks. "I would just like him to tell my wife I l-"

But he trailed off, his eyes transfixed at the hem of Voldemort's robes, where a small round disk of light was flashing. Frank nodded, and James grinned, wishing briefly that Sirius was there to witness what was about to occur. They had never experimented with what would happen if an entire distraction pack was detonated in water…

James dropped it into the fountain and threw himself off of the ledge, pointing his wand at Franks' bonds, not bothering to conceal his hand under the cloak as he severed them, cutting Frank's hands accidentally in the process.

The fountain erupted in an impressive explosion of noise and dung-colored steam, as Fillibuster fireworks exploded en-masse, decapitating the wizard as they rioted from the ten foot fountain of water which spilled onto the floor, drenching the unsuspecting wizards below.

Frank scrambled to his feet, wand in hand, throwing stunners over his shoulder. James was at his side- the cloak falling askew as he threw stunners over his shoulder. Green light skimmed by their head as Voldemort and his pair of followers threw killing curses at them, slipping in the water swarming the floor.

They had just reached the fireplace, and the flames burst into life. Frank threw something out of his pocket and the fire erupted emerald green. James could feel Franks hand on his cloak, pulling him toward the safety of the floo...

And then he was writhing in unspeakable agony on the floor.

Voldemort's Cruciatus curse had hit home. James, barely managing to keep conscious as Voldemort exacted his rage, saw that Frank had disappeared into the floo network…but something wasn't right. Through the haze of pain James couldn't be bothered to discover what it was.

At least one of them would make it home to their wife…

James lay panting on the floor, several muscles still twitching when the pain left as soon as it had come. He dimly registered that he had managed to hold onto his wand somehow and tightened his aching grip further around it. "There's no dignity even among the noble members of the Order of the Phoenix," Voldemort hissed. "How does it feel to be abandoned by your friend?"

"Probably as good as you feel at having failed to locate what you were looking for. Looks like Gryffindor's artifacts aren't as easy to come by as they used to be." James knew he would pay for it the second the words were out of his mouth. But he swore that if he was going to die, he would do so like his father, fighting…

"Looks like your terrible twosome had no idea that's what you were here for," James gasped as Bellatrix and Snape eyed Voldemort with shock. Just then a terrible, wonderful idea popped into his mind. "Too bad they didn't know that only worthy Gryffindors are given the location of his secret artifact." Voldemort paused, wand poised. James saw the question flash across that scarlet eyes. "It's called the Heart of Courage."

"My Lord, he lies," Snape hissed over Voldemort's shoulder. "Only the Hogwarts Sorting Hat remains—"

James blocked out Snape's truthful explanation and pulled into his brain the memory of his father telling him about the Hogwarts founders… "The heart of courage, Jamesie," his father had once told him as he tucked him into bed the night before James had gone to school, worried about which house he was to be sorted into, "is something that belongs only to true Gryffindors, like you."

He let the memory repeat, hoping that Voldemort would attempt to read his mind, that in his fervor to get something of Gryffindor's he would sense the truth that this memory had happened and not the lie in context. "I will show you and your family mercy," Voldemort murmured, "if you tell me the location of this artifact. I will not kill…your unborn son."

James swore inwardly. He had tried not to think of Lily and their baby, tried to protect them in his last moments of life and failed.

The emerald green light of the fire cast a ghoulish light over Voldemort's skull-like visage. "Your wife is to have a son?" Voldemort whirled to face Snape, his snake-like nostrils flaring. "Your information… You…you and your wife have denied me…" Voldemort was close to babbling now.

Pain exploded through James once more, but this time it was Snape who had turned his wand on him. Snape's features were twisted in utter loathing as he surveyed James, livid at the news that Lily was carrying James' child. The agony was unlike anything James had ever known ripped through him as the full force of Snape's hatred powered the curse. James bit his lip until he bled, refusing to scream…

"You took everything from me!" Snape screeched. "You stole everything that was supposed to be mine!" The curse redoubled and James could not stop from curling into a ball, the pain overwhelming all thoughts but one—

_Lily_.

"Stop," Voldemort commanded, breaking Snape's magical hold with a single gesture. He stared at James, quivering on the floor as if he had just noticed he existed for the first time.

James resisted the urge to wretch as his nerves wailed their displeasure and forced himself to turn his eyes on Snape.

It was then that James rasped the five words that Severus Snape had feared hearing for years.

"You—owe—me—your—life."

Snape froze, his black eyes wide as the words echoed through the seemingly endless silence that had descended over the group.

"My Lord," Bellatrix placed a tentative hand on Voldemort's shoulder, breaking the stillness. Voldemort hurled her away from him and she clattered to the floor like a broken rag doll.

"I see it all now! Snape was right! But if I kill you now, you cannot deny me again. Your son will not be—TELL ME WHERE TO FIND THE OBJECT, BOY!" Voldemort advanced further into the emerald light, his wand pointed at James.

Green, James realized, the thought breaking through the cloud of pain. The fire was still green. He scuttled backward toward the flames, suddenly understanding. "Alright," he said, holding out one had. "I—on second thought, no," James said flatly as Frank, who had been waiting under James' invisibility cloak, yanked James into standing position and called out a destination.

The last thing they heard was Voldemort's scream of fury as they spiraled away from the grate.

~PRD~

James lowered the warding spells on the house verbally, too exhausted to attempt nonverbal magic, for fear of accidentally setting off the alarm. He could hear voices behind the weathered door and he saw a shadow cross the sliver of light visible beneath the front room's heavy drapes.

"Tiger Lily, please. It's not good for the little quaffle—" Sirius' panicked voice could be heard before it was cut off by an earsplitting wail that sounded somewhat like James' name.

James knocked heavily on the door. There was a sudden stillness inside, as if all motion had suddenly ceased.

There was a grinding of locks and the door swung open with a creak, revealing the piercing gaze of Remus Lupin, his wand pointing straight at James' heart. There was a wet spot on Remus' front, where James supposed Lily had been crying in worry. Guilt twisted his gut briefly.

"James!" Lily wailed again, this time in relief. He couldn't see her because Remus had shifted to block the rest of the room from view.

"What did Sirius run through the house shouting on Christmas in our seventh year?" Remus shot at him, in a tone much too serious for such a ridiculous question.

"Fornication in the household," James replied, rolling his eyes. "I remember it because he prevented me from snogging my girlfriend for the rest of the night." Remus smiled and stepped out the way so that James could enter the house before he shut the door firmly behind him.

"James!" Lily was struggling to her feet from the sofa, her arms still in a death grip around Sirius' neck. Her cry was echoed by Sirius, and Peter, who was sitting near the abandoned Monopoly board. Sirius supported her as she gained her feet. An identical wet mark on the front of his robes explained Sirius' panic moments ago.

She stumbled into James' embrace, her puffy face titled up to his, eyes brimming with a fresh bout of tears. "I thought you had-you had died!"

"And leave you? Never," James pressed his lips to her forehead, smoothing her hair back from her face. He reveled in the feeling of her warmth, the swell of their son resting in between them.

"I think we could all use some tea," Remus said firmly, heading toward the kitchen. "Yes, you can have something stronger Sirius," he added as his other friend rose to follow him into the kitchen.

"And one for Prongs," Sirius said, when James gestured behind Lily's back. "Come on, Pete," Sirius hinted heavily, irritated that their friend was so slow on the uptake.

"But I want to find out what happened," Peter protested, hopping to his pudgy feet. "He's almost three hours late."

"We will in a minute," Sirius groaned, clapping Peter on the back and steering him into the kitchen.

The second the door was closed, Lily's lips were on James,' tasting of salt, but very much there. He returned the kiss warmly, grateful for his friends understanding his need to reassure Lily and himself that he had returned unharmed.

"The quaffle's happy to see you," Lily murmured, pressing his hand to her stomach where he could feel the slightest flutter of movement against his palm. James pushed down the wave of emotion at the thought of what could have happened in the Ministry. In a few minutes he would tell his friends what had happened, he would question Voldemort's odd behavior, and relive every strange response Dumbledore had made when they had briefed him that night, but for now, he held his wife and son in arms, grateful to be home.

"It's alright," he reassured all three of them. "I'm here."

* * *

A/N: Whew! There is the first of three posts this week. That's right, we said THREE posts this week. Give us some encouragement and review! Then go vote (on our profile page) for who you would like featured in our Holiday one-shot!

Also, thanks to all those who reviewed Chapter 26, you make editing easier to bear.


	28. The Birth and Death of Day

**Chapter 28:**  
**The Birth and Death of Day**

James had never heard so much screaming in his entire life. When Lily gripped his hand, he could feel her mentally trying to siphon some of her pain onto him. The hand squeezing he could take. He would take all the excruciating hand squeezing she would do.

Just no more screaming.

Every time she cried out, it cut through him like a knife. All he could do was say, "You're doing great!" and "Almost there!" but other than that all he could do was sit idly by and watch his wife writhe in agony, all because of him. Had he just realized sooner that she was in labor, all of the pain, all of the screaming, could have been avoided.

Once he had realized that his son was on the way, James had flawlessly executed the steps they had prepared weeks ago for this precise moment. He had flooed Healer Stephens to come to the house using the direct connection they had created specifically for this. He had set Lily up in their living room and made sure she was comfortable. He had messaged Sirius, Remus, and Peter to let them know the baby was coming _right now_. He had done everything exactly how they had planned it.

But this…How could he have planned for _this_?

Healer Stephens, healing kit in tow, made it to the cottage in a record thirty-seven seconds. She was impressively true to her word to be there for the birth of their baby boy, even if it was 2:30 in the morning. She had answered the security question before James could even ask it and sent him out of the room while she changed Lily into a lime green dressing gown that she had brought with her from St. Mungo's.

Shortly after James had been shunned to the kitchen, Sirius and Remus had arrived. James' friends were in boisterous spirits, Sirius was sporting a box of cigars, and both were beaming from ear to ear.

James was so flustered he forgot to ask them a security question and stood aside to let them enter.

"You forgot the question, Jamesie," Sirius purred as he stepped inside the small entranceway.

"Here's your security question: What are we naming the baby?" James asked glancing anxiously towards the currently off-limits living room.

"You're naming him after his handsome godfather, of course," Sirius replied giddily as he kicked off his muddy motorcycle boots. James shot him a quashing glare that was more panicked than threatening. Sirius clapped one hand around James' shoulders in a support.

"You haven't told us what you're naming him," Remus responded to James' question. "As of yesterday afternoon you still had not decided on a name." James was guided (or was more accurately steered) by Sirius back toward his kitchen exile.

"Where's Lily?" Remus asked as he threw his ragged cloak over one of the spindly kitchen chairs. "Is she doing alright?"

"She's in the living room with Healer Stephens," James replied absentmindedly as he stared at Sirius bewildered. "You honestly think we would name our child Sirius Potter? That's the worst name ever."

"Thought I would give it shot, eh," Sirius shrugged. He deposited the outrageously bright blue box full of "It's a Boy!" cigars on the counter with a flourish. James was relieved that his friends were here, he felt lost in this whole scenario. James was about to point out that none of them usually smoked, but decided not to ruin his best friend's celebratory efforts.

"Where is Peter?" James asked instead, glancing around the quaint room as though the smallest of the Marauders would suddenly appear.

"He said he would meet us here," Remus replied, his brow furrowing in concern. "You know his apparition gets untidy when he's groggy." They all chuckled, remembering the time Peter had tried to apparate home one New Year's eve when they were school and ended up splinching himself.

"James!" Lily's voice echoed through the kitchen as if there was not a solid stone wall between them. Both Remus and Sirius, who had been planning to pop their heads into the living room and wish Lily well, took a step back at the ear-splitting shriek.

"I think we're going to stay here for this," Sirius said, clapping his hands together as he glanced warily over his best friend's shoulder at the living room door.

"Mr. Potter!" Healer Stephens' voice rang out. "We need you in here!"

"Merlin fucking-" James began, running his hands through his hair in shock. What was he supposed to do again?

"Watch the language, Prongs," Sirius corrected James. Sirius and Remus settled themselves at the kitchen table. "Soon there will be little ears amongst us." Sirius shoved James' with one foot toward the living room door.

"Seriously, Sirius?" James called over his shoulder as he threw the door open and disappeared behind the levitating curtain which hid Lily from view.

"I'm going to let that one slide since you are clearly under a lot of duress," Sirius hollered back, as Remus rose to shut the door in order to give Lily some privacy.

"What's wrong?" James asked as he rushed to Lily's side, unable to conceal his worry. "Is everything okay?"

"Everything is fine, Mr. Potter," Healer Stephens murmured through clenched teeth. "But this baby is coming, and he is coming quickly."

"Well, that's a good thing, isn't it?" James said, grasping Lily's already sweaty palm as she let out another howl of pain.

"If we were at St. Mungo's, it would not be an issue," Healer Stephen's began as she patted Lily's leg, in what James assumed was meant to be a reassuring manner. "But, due to your wife's blood status and having to do an at home birth, the speed of your wife's dilation poses an issue for the pain charm."

"The speed of my wife's what?" James gasped as Healer Stephens began to position herself in between Lily's legs. James slid onto the make-shift healer's table next to Lily, his free hand supporting her back which arched off the pillows as another wave of pain wracked her.

"Mr. Potter," Healer Stephens ground out concernedly as Lily cried out once more, "your son is coming and he is coming now. There is not time for the pain charm to be performed safely."

"So Lily has to do this-" James trailed off as his heart crashed into his stomach. He brushed a stray hair from Lily's damp forehead.

"She has to do this the old fashioned way," Healer Stephens nodded her head before rummaging through her kit once more.

"It's going to be alright," Lily moaned as her body tensed with another contraction.

"Yes, yes it is," James reassured her. His placed a kiss on her damp forehead, wincing when her fingers bored down around his again.

"Alright, Lily," Healer Stephens said, a small smile playing across her lips. James personally though she was enjoying watching his poor wife suffer. "It's time to push."

And that's when the screaming started in full effect. James held Lily's hand and kept his other one on the small of her back for support: anything to stop the screaming.

He thought he heard Healer Stephens yell something at him but he was too disoriented from all of the deafening noise his wife was making. Healer Stephens was saying something and smiling but James did not have time to pay attention to that, right now he had to provide his wife with as much comfort as possible, because this was all his fault. Had he realized she was having contractions this afternoon instead of letting her brush it off, Healer Stephens would have gotten here sooner and Lily could have had the pain charm. And the screaming would…

Stop.

James shook his head as he watched Lily slump back onto the pillow in relief, a radiant smile across her face as new set of screams filled the room. James looked from Lily to Healer Stephens, his vision cloudy, his mind unable to catch up with his eyes.

He watched Healer Stephens magically wrap the blue blanket around the small body. It was a perfect, small body with ten fingers and ten toes and a very healthy set of lungs. From the kitchen, he could hear three voices calling out Lily's name with whooping cheers. James might have heard Healer Stephens mutter a muffled congratulations, but James' didn't know. He was completely absorbed by the little blue bundle with a tuft of jet black hair poking out at the top that had just been set in Lily's waiting arms.

"He's perfect," James choked out as he placed his hand on the wailing blanket in his wife's arms. The baby's head was tiny, round, and warm. Something inside of James shifted, his eyes welling with uncharacteristic tears. _This was his boy…their son…_

"He's going to look exactly like you," Lily said through a watery smile as she stared down at their still weeping child.

"Hopefully, he'll have your eyes," James whispered as he looked up at his wife. He swore in that moment, with her hair plastered to her forehead, her skin bright with perspiration, and limbs drained from her efforts, that she had never been more beautiful. "I want him to have your eyes."

"I'm sorry, but I need to do a few enchantments to make sure everything is alright with your son," Healer Stephens apologetically pulled them out of their reverie. Lily grudgingly handed their child back to the healer. She walked him over to the coffee table where she began waving her wand swiftly over his tiny body.

"I can't believe he's here and we still don't have a name for him," Lily moaned as she shut her eyes, leaning against James. "Are you sure you don't want to name him Philip after your father?"

"No, dad would have loved it, but look at him," James murmured as he stared at their baby. "He doesn't look like a Philip."

"No, he's not," Lily agreed as they watched Healer Stephens magic a measuring tape out of nowhere and hold it up to her son. He quieted slightly, huge eyes following the measuring tapes progress.

"Sirius suggested we name him Sirius," James joked as he pulled his glasses off to clean them. Or maybe it had just been the tears blurring his vision. He pulled his wife closer, wiping her forehead with his sleeve tenderly.

"Oh yes," Lily laughed, though she never took her eyes away from her son across the room. "I'm going to name my child after a star."

Suddenly, James was in front of a roaring fire in the Gryffindor Common Room. Bright blue eyes, chestnut brown hair, and a voice he hadn't heard in over two years filled his mind.

_"My parents named me Spencer. Electra's parents named her Stephen. Sirius' parents named him after a star. Please give all the members of the Potter brood normal names," Spencer pleaded._

"James, what is it?" Lily asked her husband disconcertedly as he stared absentmindedly at the wall. "Are you honestly considering naming our baby Sirius?"

"_Then what do you propose Oh Wise, Namer-of-the-Children?" James jested._

_"Oh, I don't know… maybe… Harry?" _

"Harry," James murmured still staring at the wall.

"Harry? Who is Harry?" Lily asked, worried that the birth of their son had sent James into a state of shock.

"Our son," James said as he turned to Lily, beaming. "Our son's name is Harry."

"Harry?" Lily questioned. James watched as her eyes, floated between him and Healer Stephens who was carrying their son back to him. James could practically feel Lily's mind considering the idea… "Where did you get that from?"

James watched as Healer Stephens set their son in Lily's arms once more and pronounced him perfectly healthy and strong. He weighed eight pounds, five ounces and measured twenty-three inches long.

"Where did you get that name from?" Lily repeated as James continued to stare down at their now sleeping baby, transfixed.

"Spencer," he sighed. "Don't you remember? She left her stuffed badger for him. She left it for Harry."

Lily's mouth gaped open as her mind flooded with the memory of that morning in the Great Hall. How embarrassed they had been, how excited she was at the idea of them having children, how that exact stuffed badger was waiting in their son's crib at that very moment.

_To James and Lily I bequeath Mr. Pufflesnuffs. For Harry._

She smiled at James as she placed her hand on the side of his cheek to brush away the slow stream of tears trickling down his face.

"Harry Potter," she said slowly. "I like the way that sounds. Harry James Potter," Lily corrected herself, "after his father."

"Harry James Potter," James echoed, as Harry curled one tiny hand around James' pinky finger. "Welcome to the world."

~PRD~

"He's going to be a handsome devil, just like his godfather," Sirius proclaimed as he paced the living room hours later with his godson sitting in the crook of his arm.

"Just like his father," Lily amended Sirius' claim from her spot on the couch tucked under James' arm.

"You say Le-vi-o-SAA, I say Le-vi-OH-sa. Same difference," Sirius shrugged as he continued through the living room, his eyes never leaving the baby in his arms.

"So how did you two finally pick a name for Harry, anyway?" Remus asked calmly from his spot in the over-stuffed armchair in the corner of the room.

"His godmother actually came up with the name," Lily replied as she caught James' eye.

"Woah, woah, woah," Sirius barked stopping his journey through the living room and rounding on James and Lily. Harry, startled by the sudden noise, made a small gurgling noise and shifted in Sirius' arms before settling back into sleep. Sirius looked down at Harry before whispering, "I thought I was going to be the only godparent!"

"Who is it?" Peter asked squeakily from his post at Remus' feet. He had arrived a few minutes after Harry's birth and was now waiting patiently for his chance to hold the new baby.

"Spencer," James answered Peter, though he was looking Sirius directly in the eye.

Sirius did not respond. He just coughed a few times before beginning his pacing again.

"How are you feeling, Lily?" James whispered in her ear as he wrapped his arm more securely around her shoulders.

"I'm wonderful," Lily said as she caught a glimpse of Sirius talking to Harry out of the corner of her eye. "I'm exhausted, but wonderful."

"So, about that Healer?" Sirius asked, his signature rogue smile plastered across his face.

"We used a memory charm on her before she went back to St. Mungo's, you know that," James said, shaking his head at his friend's one-track mind. "An at-home birth, when one of the parents is a muggle born…We weren't going to take that risk. She doesn't remember anything that happened in the two hours she was here."

"Damn," Sirius whistled. "She was nice looking."

"Too bad she won't remember flirting with you," Lily remarked sarcastically.

"I don't even think the best memory charm could eliminate that memory," Sirius said, wiggling his eyebrows in what was supposed to be a seductive manner.

"Ridiculous, absolutely ridiculous," James muttered. He was resisting the urge to snap his son out of Sirius' arms. Harry was _his _son, and though Lily calmly kept reminding him that they would have forever with their child, he could see her itching to hold Harry too.

"Anyway, do you need anything?" Remus called to Lily and James from his seat. "Either of you?"

"A mug of tea would be lovely, Remus," Lily smiled appreciatively.

"For me as well, Moony," James said nodding his head in agreement.

"Right away, and when I get back it's mine turn to hold the baby," Remus mock-threatened Sirius as he roughly pulled himself out of his chair.

"Never," Sirius barked to his retreating back. He immediately returned his attention to his resting godson. "I'm not letting anyone else hold you ever, not even your mum and dad."

"Excuse me?" Lily asked, playfully arching an accusatory eyebrow.

James snorted. He would like to see Sirius attempt to keep Harry away from his mother. "Yeah, Padfoot," James scolded, "he is _our_ baby."

"Yeah," Sirius agreed, bouncing Harry back to sleep as he cooed into a state of wakefulness, "but he's so damn cute."

"He is really cute," Peter squealed in agreement.

"Thanks, Wormy," Lily said as she smiled at him. "But all the same, Sirius, you have to let Remus hold him."

"Told you, Sirius," Remus voice carried in from the kitchen.

"Come on," Sirius stomped his foot dramatically. "You never give me what I want."

"Oh, yes, what an excellent example you are setting for our son as his _godfather_ throwing a temper tantrum," Lily laughed sardonically. "So glad we picked you."

"Remus is for all the not fun stuff," Sirius pointed out. "I'm for when he gets himself into trouble dating too many girls at one time—"

"Like fifth year?" James asked. He tucked the edges of the blanket more tightly around Lily as she leant her head against his chest, her eyes drooping closed slightly.

"Exactly!" Sirius chuckled as he allowed himself to get lost in the memory. "Four different girls from four different years."

"One from each house," Remus continued for him as he rounded the corner into the living room carrying a tray laden with tea, toast, and some hastily cut up fruit. He slid the tray onto the table. He waited a moment while Lily blinked herself into complete awareness before handing her a mug.

"Ah, yes that too," Sirius said thankfully. "The only time I ever dated a Slytherin. Penny Baldwin, seventh year, leggy and long blonde hair. Made me the man I am today."

"Again, really instilling us with the sense that we made the right decision," Lily laughed as she grabbed a piece of toast with both hands.

"I'll also be there for him when he sets off several sets of Filibuster Fireworks in the Great Hall during the Halloween Feast," Sirius began.

"Like third year?" Peter asked.

"Yes, like a third year," Sirius said. He hastily added, "But without all of the people within the immediate vicinity getting second and third degree burns."

"Merlin, that was awful," James groaned through a mouth full of strawberries. "We got detention everyday for the rest of that term."

"You say it like you didn't deserve it," Remus snorted as he fell back into his seat gracefully. "Now hand over Harry!" he held his arms out expectantly, his gazed fixed pointedly at Sirius.

"No!" Sirius cried out, clutching Harry to his chest dramatically.

"Padfoot, give Harry to Remus," Lily demanded as she continued to munch on her toast, sagging further into James. "You've had him for almost an hour."

"Fine," he whimpered as he walked over to Remus and gently set Harry in his lap.

"Alright, how about this," Sirius said excitedly as he flopped in front the tray and began popping blueberries into his mouth. "I'll be there to give him advice when his best mate has been in love with the same girl since they were eleven and can't grow the bullocks to ask her out. It's a very annoying and long process, I'll have you know."

"Alright, fine," Lily sighed as she stretched herself out on the sofa, her sore body groaning in relief. "You can be the advice giver if that situation, which is extremely specific, ever arises."

Sirius smiled in a self-satisfied manner before grabbing the entire fruit bowl and dumping it unceremoniously into his mouth.

"Excuse me," James said, trying to keep the amusement out of his voice, "but I think that was for Lily. You know, the only one of us in this room who pushed another human out of her body in the past few hours."

"Oh come on," Sirius growled indignantly. "That's not fair, I can't even do that."

Lily laughed before closing her eyes as the men continued to banter back and forth. Contentedly lounging in James' arms she opened her eyes to glance at Remus quietly watching Harry sleep, before closing her eyes and letting her exhaustion carry her away.

~PRD~

"Who knew babies pooped so much!" James exclaimed as he changed Harry for the fifth time that day.

"Everyone who has ever had a baby," Lily laughed from her seat in the rocking chair.

"He's not even ten pounds and he produces more waste than most adults we know," James continued to ramble as he buttoned up the bottom of Harry's onesie. Lily smiled as she watched her husband blow a raspberry on Harry's stomach before picking up the squealing baby and cradling him lovingly in his arms.

"He's gotten bigger," James commented as he began to wander the bright yellow room.

"He's a baby," Lily smiled, "that's what they do. Sleep, cry, laugh, eat, poop, pee, grow."

"Seems like a good life," James cooed to Harry who let out another squeal of delight.

Lily grinned as her husband traversed the room talking to Harry, already teaching him the extensive rules of Quidditch because, as he explained it, "You have to start young."

She couldn't believe her son was already a week old, and James was right, he was getting bigger by the minute. He was laughing and crying, grabbing their fingers, his already vibrant green eyes roved the cottage non-stop whenever they were open, and Lily could have sworn his mass of black hair, messy as his father's, was getting even thicker.

A musical thudding against their front door pulled Lily out of her day dreaming.

"Here, take him," James said, gently setting Harry in Lily's lap. "I'll go see who it is."

He hurried out of the room, pulling his wand out of his back pocket. Lily heard the rapid thudding of his feet as he descended the stairs and she strained her ears over Harry's bubbling garble to hear who was at the door. She could not distinguish the voice, but she would have sworn James' security question had something to do with jam.

"Lily, come down," James voice cheerfully rang up the stairs. "There is someone here who wants to meet Harry."

Clutching Harry to her chest Lily heaved herself out of the unsteady rocking chair and made her way to the upstairs landing. As she moved down into the front hallway, midnight blue robes and a matching wizard's hat caught her eyes.

"Professor Dumbledore!" she greeted the older wizard happily as she carefully took the last step down.

"Lily, my dear, how are you?" he called back, his eyes twinkling as he spotted the small baby in her arms.

"I'm doing well," she replied, crossing to their old Headmaster.

"And this must be young Mr. Potter," Dumbledore smiled jovially as he looked down at the open-mouthed little boy.

"His name is Harry," James supplied.

"Ah, Harry Potter," Dumbledore glanced between Lily and James, blue eyes soft. "Excellent choice. It has a very nice ring to it. Lovely to meet you, Harry Potter," he said as he held out a long finger which Harry delightfully grabbed. "You have a good, firm grip."

"Let's go into the living room," James suggested as he gestured down the hall.

"Yes, yes," Dumbledore agreed, his finger still in Harry's unyielding grasp. "May I?" He asked Lily, holding out his other hand fully.

"Of course," Lily exclaimed, carefully shifting Harry's weight into Dumbledore's arms. As they made their way into the living room, Dumbledore set himself down in Remus' usual seat by the fireplace while Lily and James arranged themselves on the couch.

"I'm sorry to stop by unannounced," Dumbledore began.

"No need to apologize, Professor Dumbledore. We're happy to have you here," Lily said quickly, inwardly relieved that she had quickly cleaned up the house this morning.

"Please, call me Albus," Dumbledore beamed as Harry happily began playing with his beard.

"Oh, no, Harry, no," James called. He stood to make his way over to his son.

"No, no," Dumbledore chuckled lightly. Harry reciprocated the laughter, apparently fascinated by this new person. "It's quite alright. What is the point of such a long beard if small children can't learn from its wisdom."

Lily and James looked at each other searchingly, hoping the other understood what Dumbledore had just said.

"So, Profess- Albus, how are things with the Order?" James asked as he watched Harry happily continue to yank on Dumbledore's beard.

"Everything with the Order is fine, absolutely fine," Dumbledore said absentmindedly as he and Harry stared gleefully at each other. "He's a very intelligent child."

"Thank you, sir," Lily said. "But he is only a week old."

"You can tell from the second they are born," Dumbledore continued, never breaking eye contact with Harry. "He already knows who he can trust. Babies have excellent instincts."

Once again bewildered by Dumbledore, Lily and James supervised contentedly as Harry continued to study Dumbledore's face. He apparently found Dumbledore more interesting to look at than his three uncles.

"Which brings me, unfortunately, to why I am here," Dumbledore began gravely, finally pulling his dazzling gaze from Harry. "We have received new information about Voldemort's plans."

"Has there been anything new about the…" Lily trailed off. She was still unable to talk about the prophecy Dumbledore had told them about, months prior to Harry's birth. James' arm constricted around her waist at its mention.

"No, no," Dumbledore murmured, "nothing new on that front. But, it has all but been confirmed that he suspects the child mentioned is the one in my arms."

"What should we do?" James asked fiercely. Since the day he had found out that his son's life was in danger, more so than most children born to Order members, he swore he would do everything in his power to make sure nothing happened to him.

"Well, you are already doing it," Dumbledore sighed as he began to rock Harry in his arms. "Going into hiding months ago has kept the Death Eater's at bay thus far. I daresay the fake postal trail you have laid has also helped matters."

"So we just continue to do what we've been doing?" James asked, wondering why he had come by just to tell them that.

"In a manner of speaking, yes. The Order has began to increase security measures around the three of you, but I believe it might be time to take the final step," Dumbledore said in an unusually gruff voice.

"Severely increase?" Lily asked fretfully as he watched her son absentmindedly grasp at Dumbledore's beard again.

"We have given this home every security measure we can think of, just short of the Fidelus Charm," Dumbledore explained.

"But why don't we just do that now?" James began fervently. "If, like you've said, that is the best way to protect Harry, why don't we do it now? I'll go get Sirius-" He rose from the couch, his wand already outstretched to send a message.

"I have obtained a source." Dumbledore held up a hand to stop James. "This source is within the tightest circle of the Death Eater ranks and has for, personal reasons, changed the error of his ways."

"Who is it?" James asked, his voice harder than he meant for it to be. James returned to his seat next to Lily, her fingers twining around his.

"I cannot tell you that," Dumbledore responded, maintaining his unnervingly calm manner.

"I think that we deserve to know!" James growled. "This does involve our child!" Only Lily's grip on his hand kept him stationary.

"I understand your frustration, James," Dumbledore continued coolly, as he shifted Harry's weight to his other arm. "But, to be perfectly honest with you, you wouldn't believe me if I told you."

"So tell me anyway!" James said defiantly.

"Unfortunately for you, James," Dumbledore began, a soft laugh escaping his lips, "I will not. I have given my word. But I can assure you that I would not risk your child's life if I thought my source untrustworthy."

"But, Professor Dumbledore," Lily interjected. "Why aren't we performing the Fidelius Charm now?"

"That brings me to my second piece of news," Dumbledore said gravely. "My source has informed me that there is a traitor in the Order of the Phoenix, one that is extremely close to you. No, before you ask, I do not have a name. Voldemort has decided to keep this person's identity extremely secret."

"So, you're telling us that someone we know, someone we call our friend is going to try and sell us and our son out to Voldemort?" James said snidely. The idea was ludicrous. He would die for his friends, just as they would all die before willingly betraying his family.

"James, I will not ask you to believe me right now," Dumbledore said, that maddening small smile playing across his lips once more. "I have watched you grow into a very strong and trusting man. But, I ask you, for Harry's sake to consider carefully who will perform the charm. For, if you pick the wrong Secret Keeper, your family will be in the palm of Voldemort's hand."

Dumbldore stood up, his eyes boring into theirs over his half-moon spectacles. "I would like to take this time to volunteer myself to serve as your Secret Keeper."

James' mouth dropped open. "Sirius would never…" he sputtered, but Lily's hand clenched around his. He whirled to face her, but she kept her eyes fixed on Professor Dumbledore.

"We will consider it," she said firmly. "When do we need to be ready?"

"I will return two days from now." Dumbledore returned Harry to Lily's arms, pausing to unwrap Harry's minute fingers from his beard. He beamed mistily when Harry burst into noisy tears of protest at losing his new friend.

"But how do we know this security from the Order combined with our own is going to be enough to keep Voldemort away from Harry for the next two days?" James rose from the couch, his arms wrapping protectively around his small family.

"My source has once again graced me with important knowledge I do not think even he understands," Dumbledore began, a sense of omniscience radiating from him. "I believe Voldemort has some unfinished business before he decides to make his move based upon a half-reported prophecy. He wishes to make himself as indestructible as possible before he comes to find Harry. With any luck, that will buy us enough time to perform the charm effectively."

"Isn't he already indestructible enough?" Lily breathed, her arms coiling around Harry as if they alone could prevent Voldemort from harming him.

"Voldemort will settle for nothing less than immortality," Dumbledore murmured. "I am going to leave now so you can have time to rest and enjoy your baby. I will see you in two days time." As though able to read James' disbelieving mind Dumbledore turned and added, "Yes, James, enjoy your baby even after receiving this news. They are only this young for so long. Before you know it, he'll be boarding the Hogwarts Express and being sorted into Gryffindor."

"Don't get James' hopes up, Professor," Lily laughed weakly at the obvious satisfaction on James' face as he placed his hand on his son's chest.

"With parents who make such brave and bold choices there is no doubt in my mind that boy will be a Gryffindor." Dumbledore swept towards the front hall. With a loud creak and a small thud of the front door behind him, he was gone, leaving the small family to think over all that he had said.

With a strangled sob, Lily burrowed her head in the crook of James' neck, their son resting in between them. Lily said nothing, apparently as shocked as he was that someone close to them was passing secrets to Lord Voldemort. James' heart constricted painfully as Dumbledore's words reverberated in his head. He _knew _he could trust his friends, his brothers…knew that they would never betray him. But he could not bring himself to say any of this as he surveyed his wife's heartbroken face.

Instead, he bent down to press a soft kiss to her cheek, allowing a small, proud smile to blossom on his face. "See, Lily, even Dumbledore thinks Harry's going to be a Gryffindor!"

* * *

A/N: Here we are, the last chapter of Points in the Right Direction. Only the Epilogue to go! Happy Halloween dear readers!


	29. Return of the Future

_We would like to dedicate this chapter to all of our readers, who have spent the last five years, read approximately two hundred thousand words, and given us the courage to write. This is and forever will be, our begining. Thank you for sharing it with us. _

**Points in the Right Direction**  
**Epilogue: Return of the Future**

James sighed in tune to the wind whistling past their sitting room window. He glanced longingly outside to where the children were scurrying back and forth across the town square, dressed as all sorts of ludicrous muggle inventions. He dearly wished that Sirius could have dropped by tonight. More though, he wished that they could go outside and have some Halloween fun themselves. He remembered the first Halloween they had had in the cottage, when the renovations weren't even complete. They had baffled and delighted the muggle children with a Jack-o-lantern that kept pulling faces. They had laughed it off to the kids' parents as a new electronic decoration, but Sirius' penchant for extending any of the children's fake beards to Dumbledore proportions was harder to explain away.

"You know, Harry," James said, tickling the stomach of his small son who was sitting on his lap, clad in blue teddy bear pajamas. "If you weren't so cute, I don't know I'd stay cooped up for you any longer." Harry blinked up at him with his brilliant green eyes and gave a wide-cooing smile, as if he knew better than to take his father seriously. James heart swelled at the sight of his perfect boy, whose small, pudgy hand reached up to pat him soothingly on the face.

"I could never leave you," James murmured, his large hand engulfing Harry's tenderly. "Daddy will always be around to protect you. Not that you'll need it," he said proudly, tapping Harry's tiny chest, "you'll have the heart of a Gryffindor lion, just like your parents."

"You will love our child, even if he ends up in Slytherin!" Lily called through the closed kitchen door where she was finishing off a letter to Remus.

James pulled a face, which Harry tried to mirror, but only ended up crossing his eyes instead. "You won't end up in stinking Slytherin, will you, Harry? No, you'll be a star player on the Gryffindor team, and all the girls will chase after you because you'll be so handsome, just like your Dad. Hold out for a red-head with brains, son," James encouraged in mock-whisper designed to carry to Lily's earshot.

"That's the smartest thing you've ever told him," Lily reply was muffled by the wood.

"It is indeed," James mused, ruffling Harry's already messy tufts of black hair. Harry's hand pressed against James' shirt pocket, where he had stowed his wand when he went to pick Harry up from his playpen earlier. Harry smacked the wand through the cloth purposefully, and a few stray sparks shot out of the end, narrowly missing James' face.

"Alright, Harry," he chuckeld, drawing his wand. He began to play one of Harry's favorite games, which they had happened upon when Harry had gone into hysterics when Lily had taken Mr. Pufflesnuffs to be washed once. James produced a small puff of magenta smoke from the tip of his wand, and Harry giggled, reaching out to catch it. A yellow one was next and Harry's tiny fist closed around it almost immediately.

James laughed, as Harry looked extremely put out at having not been able to keep the yellow ring. "Looks like we've got ourselves a seeker here, Mrs. Potter!" he called. Harry stretched, trying to reach a green ring, and leant out so far that he almost fell off of James' lap. James lifted him the short distance from his knee to the floor, just in case.

"Yes, well it's time for the future seeker's bathtime," Lily said sardonically as she entered the room to find her two black-haired boys on the floor.

"What house?" James prodded, his hands hovering around Harry's round form as Lily bent over. Lily gave James a glare that was more amused than anything. Clear that he would not relinquish the boy until she conceded defeat, Lily said, "Gryffindor."

"That's my girl." James scooped up Harry, and handed him over to Lily who made toward the stairs, cooing to Harry about how silly his father was.

James dropped his wand on the sofa and raised his arms above his head, the satisfied pops of stiff joints rewarding the movement. He would give anything to go for a fly. Even for a walk. He strode toward the study, where Al's perch was, and almost tripped over the cat, who was still a brilliant shade of peacock from when Harry had gotten a hold of his wand earlier. The cat hissed, then scrambled under the stairs as the sound of wood cracking on wood rang through the cottage.

It had sounded like…the door.

His brain barely able to comprehend what was occurring, James sprinted into the hall. His eyes flicked desperately toward the sofa where he had foolishly left his wand. Then they turned to the horrifyingly familiar long, white fingered hand clutching the wand pointed straight at him.

"Lily, take Harry and go! It's him! Go!" he called, knowing there was no exit upstairs, praying she could climb out a window, anything. "Run! I'll hold him off!"

But even as he called the words, he knew it was over. He still couldn't help maneuvering himself toward the entrance to the sitting room, placing himself as best he could in between Lord Voldemort and his family.

Then all he saw was green.

~PRD~

Upstairs, Lily scrambled to barricade the door by hand, her wand forgotten on the bathroom counter. Anything to slow him down. She fought back tears as she tumbled to the window, but she could not seem to stop screaming her husband's name as she tried to throw open the window with one trembling hand, the other clutching Harry to her. James had stopped yelling…he had stopped…

The door flew open and Voldemort glided into the room, her flimsy protection flying away at the mere hint of movement from his wand. She turned, deposited Harry in the crib and threw her arms wide in an instinctive gesture of protection

"Not Harry, not Harry, please not Harry!" she pleaded, knowing why he had come. Anything but her son…he already had…

"Stand aside, you silly girl," the cold voice instructed. She could stand aside?

"Stand aside now," Voldemort demdanded, the wand twitching in his skeletal fingers.

Lily stared into the red, heartless eyes of Voldemort. "Not Harry, please no, take me, kill me instead—"

"This is my last warning—"

Lily backed up farther into the crib as Voldemort advanced, arms stretched to the point of pain, trying to hide her precious son. "Not Harry! Please…have mercy…have mercy…Not Harry! Not Harry! Please—I'll do anything—"

"Stand aside. Stand aside, girl!"

The last thing she felt was Harry's tiny fingers brush the back of her leg where he gripped the bars in crib before the world flashed green. Slowly, as if time had stopped working properly, the jet of light arched toward her and she thought only two things.

_Harry. Someone save Harry. _

And finally, _James._

~PRD~

Severus Snape drew up his hood, shielding his face from the many curious onlookers who had gathered around the ruined house. They were gawking at it like it was a tourist attraction, a curiosity. Many spoke in hushed whispers, raising bottles of butterbeer and toasting the bravery of "Little Harry Potter!"

Snape could not help the spasm that wracked his frame at the thought of what he had agreed to do. He had promised Albus Dumbledore that he would protect Lily's son.

He had to think of him that way, he could not acknowledge that he was the product of her being with…_him._

He felt a rush of hatred toward the baby he had never seen. _It_ was the reason she had died, had refused Voldemort's rare offer of safety. It was the reason that she was not safe, in his arms.

Fat tears leaked unbidden and ugly down Snape's hooked nose, dropping onto the leaf-strewn ground.

_"You know how and why she died. Make sure it was not in vain. Help me protect Lily's son."_ Dumbledore's words floated toward the forefront of his mind, as welcome as his tears.

Yes, he would help protect Lily's son, because it was what she would have wanted. He would silently help her child grow up safely…But his reasons for doing so were entirely selfish.

"_He has her eyes, precisely her eyes."_

Maybe one day, if he performed this task well enough, he might finally see his long sought-after forgiveness reflected in those perfect, emerald eyes.

~PRD~

Sirius Black stared at the carnage as the ash and debris settled, raining down around him. Torn up bodies lay scattered, cut up by the glass that had exploded out of the windows. The odd discordant symphony of sirens, moans, and panicked shouts reached his ears.

He lowered his shield charm and turned his eyes toward the gigantic crater in the middle of the street, where a lone, plump finger sat oozing blood onto the web of cracks in the concrete like a strange mutation of a spider.

Then he threw back his head and began to laugh manically.

Outsmarted. They had all been outsmarted by the one person none of them had suspected even capable of betraying them due to sheer lack of brains. He had been watching Remus like a hawk, unwilling to truly believe and yet unable to think of a different alternative as to who had been spying on James.

Through the haze of emotions, shock, grief, anger, hatred, remorse—he could only seem to focus one single thought.

_Peter_ had betrayed them all.

The simple truth of it was so bizare that Sirius could not stop the laughter from continuing to bubble out of him, even as Magical Law Enforcement arrived on the scene, and unbreakable chains were clamped to wrists. He laughed, even as they led him away toward the inescapable darkness that was Azakaban.

Sirius knew that he would live with this moment for the rest of his life, for it was not a happy one. The dementors therefore, would not remove it from him.

The weakest Marauder had just pulled off the biggest joke of them all. So Sirius continued to laugh.

Nearby, a small, dark rat with a toe missing on his front paw, scurried deep into the sanctuary of the sewers. Relief, and a feeling akin to victory escaped the creature in a satisfied squeak.

~PRD~

Remus sagged onto a bench outside the Leaky Cauldron. He could hear traces of the raucous party still raging on inside it as wizards celebrated the downfall of the Dark Lord.

Wizards rushed by him to get inside. They were brimming with the recent news that Sirius Black had just been carted off to Azkaban after blowing up thirteen people with a single curse. Peter Pettigrew had died valiantly in the attempt to face the traitor.

Remus had watched from a distance as Sirius was carted off, his bark-like peals of laughter ripping through the rest of the confusion on the scene. He had been headed toward Sirius' flat to confront him…but Peter, it seemed had gotten there first.

Poor, Peter. Small, weak, inept Peter who had always steadfastly stood by them.

Even through the midst of the ire pulsing through his body with every beat of his heart at the betrayal of Lily and James, Remus grieved. He placed his head in his hands and felt the loneliness consume him. Lily and James gone. Peter gone. And Sirius would surely rot away in the bowels of Azkaban for his treachery. Here he was, the last of the infamous Marauders, the last member of the tiny family he had found. A sob wracked his thin frame.

"Don't be sad, Mister." Remus looked up to see a girl with shoulder-length hair that was a shade of pink bright enough to rival her voice. She tripped as she turned to clamber up onto the bench next to him and he steadied her without even thinking about it.

She beamed up at him toothily before screwing her face up in concentration, her hair turning a brilliant blue. "I heard a wizard say that Harry Potter's eyes are blue," she said, as if they had already been discussing this topic for some time. "I want to grow up to be an Auror, then I can help save everyone too, just like him."

Remus could not help the smile that wormed its way out of his sadness. "Harry's eyes are green. Bright green." The girl frowned, brow furrowing, and her hair turned the same color as Harry's eyes. She looked at him for approval and he nodded, unable to speak.

She patted his arm as if they were old friends, her hair returning toward its original pink. "It's okay to be sad as long as you remember that things will get better," she said sagely, her heart shaped face flushing when she realized her hand was still on his arm. She quickly buried it in her lap.

"That's very wise," Remus replied.

"That's what my Mom always says," the girl said proudly.

"Nymphadora!" a dark-haired woman gasped, pulling her daughter off of the bench. "I have been worried sick. I'm so sorry if she bothered you," she said politely toward Remus, who shook his head.

"Not at all."

The little girl grinned, her hair turning the same sandy color as his as her mom pulled her into the busy footraffic of the street.

"It'll get better!" she called over her shoulder before she was lost in the crowd.

Remus certainly hoped she was right.

~PRD~

Unaware of any of these events, Harry Potter was sleeping the deep slumber of one who has just endured a great deal of dark magic.

Harry turned over in his blankets, burrowing closer to the nice man who had pulled him from the rubble. He was vaguely aware of the rumbling of the motorbike as they soared through the sky, and liked the sensation of the cool air brushing his cheek. The man holding him was familiar, he had only seen him once or twice before, but he was hard to forget since he was so much larger than Harry.

Even in this unconscious state, Harry still knew many things.

He knew that he did not like the strange green light that had burst out of the wand of the odd-faced stranger. He knew that he did not like the stranger's laughter. It was not nice like his parents'.

Harry also knew that he was not fond of being propelled from the second floor of the house as it exploded. He knew he liked bouncing to safety, he had only done it once before when Uncle Sirius had accidentally left his crib bar down.

Harry knew that something had just happened that wasn't supposed to, for he had cried and neither of his parents had responded. At the same time, Harry knew that he was safe with this massive man, one small hand curling into the soft fabric of the coat he was nestled in.

Yet, Harry did not know many things.

He was not aware that his stuffed badger had been blown to smithereens by the strange green light that flared every now and again in his relatively dreamless rest, or he would most certainly not be in such a peaceful state.

Harry did not know that he was en route to his Aunt and Uncle's house. He did not know that he had just become the only wizard to have ever faced the killing curse and survive. He did not know that he had just faced the most feared wizard the world had ever seen and defeated him without lifting a finger. Harry Potter did not know that in that instant, he had become the stuff of legend.

But most importantly, Harry Potter did not know that his parents' story was over and that this night- this night had become the beginning of his own.

* * *

A/N: Again we thank you all so much for taking the time to read our humble story. Reviews are always appreciated, especially now as we move onto writing our own works of original fiction. We hoped you enjoyed reading _Points in the Right Direction_ as much as we did writing it.

P.S. Don't forget to vote in the poll on our profile page. If we break over 400 reviews, we will be writing a one-shot featuring the winning pair/group!


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